Analyst David Francis dives into the first half of 2023's new car registrations, and ponders has Ford handed the gold model to Volkswagen in ending the Fiesta, and why is Polestar a hotter prospect than Tesla?
The UK's new van and LCV market grew by 31.0% in June, with 34,630 units registered, the best performance since 2019, as supply chain shortages eased and larger vans dominated sales.
New car registrations increased by 16.7% in May, but the private market dropped slightly by 0.5% and fleets are driving the market with growth of 36.9%.
The market share of new BEVs (battery electric vehicles) across Europe in April was three percentage points higher than April 2022, representing 13% of the total 960,191 units new car sales.
New car supply constraints are starting to ease, just as consumers are curbing spending amid high inflation, according to Bloomberg.
Volvo Car UK is informing consumers of its switch to direct-to-consumer sales in June with a reminder that this doesn't mean Volvo dealerships are closing down.
The UK new car market grew by 11.6% in April and the SMMT has now revised its 2023 outlook to a predicted 1.83 million vehicles.
Cox Automotive has revised its UK new car market forecast to a 13.5% uplift in new car sales in 2023.
Tesla’s Model Y emerged as Europe’s best-selling car during Q1 2023 as the crossover electric vehicle (EV) beat Dacia’s Sandero, the VW T-Roc, Peugeot 208 and Vauxhall Corsa to top spot year-to-date.
Thoughts about the risk of distress sales caused by governments that set short-sighted and disruptive targets to rapidly shift consumer habits from AM's regular columnist Professor Jim Saker, director of the Centre for Automotive Management at Loughborough University's business school and president of the Institute of the Motor Industry.
Carmakers aiming to switch to direct-to-consumer new car sales through agency agreements with their dealers are expected to defer or even abandon their plans by three-in four AM-online poll respondents.
The Finance and Leasing Association has predicted a 6% decline in car finance during 2023 after new business volumes declined 5% in February.
New car registrations ended Q1 2023 on a high after demand from large fleets drove year-on-year volume growth of 18.2%.
Chinese-built cars have failed to maintain momentum in the European new car market this February, accounting for just 2.7% of all the cars registered in the continent.
The Government has pledged to stick to its plan to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 as it revealed its Powering Up Britain strategy to transform the UK’s energy infrastructure.
Electric vehicle (EV) registrations are set to be dominated by fleet and business for the foreseeable future unless the Government introduces new incentives for retail buyers, say Polestar UK & Ireland chiefs.
The Finance and Leasing Association has forecast a 6% decline in the value of the UK car finance sector in 2023 – with used car finance falling by 12%.
Tesla has risked further hit to used car residual values and increases to monthly finance payments with further price cuts to certain models in its electric vehicle (EV) line up.
Van buyers were seemly unphased by the March plate change as February delivered record registrations for new light commercial vehicles (LCVs).
Volkswagen Group, Nissan and Dacia were among the new car market’s triple digit percentage growth winners as car manufacturers celebrated a seventh month of UK automotive sector growth in February.
The UK’s new car market experienced a 26.2% year-on-year rise in registrations to register a seventh consecutive month of growth, The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has reported.
Car retailers across the UK have spoken of a desire to generate the excitement of a “dream” March number plate change month as new 23-plate cars were handed to customers this morning.
Ex-Lookers chief executive Andy Bruce and former chief operating officer Nigel McMinn have joined the board at car handover technology firm AutoBuzz after investing in the customer-focussed start-up.
Discounts of up to 16% are being offered on new cars at UK retailers, ahead of the March plate-change.
Jato Dynamics has suggested that Europe’s new car registrations volumes may never recover to pre-pandemic highs following 11% year-on-year growth in January.
