With one month to go 2001 has become a record year for new car registrations. A total of 2,332,303 new cars were registered by the end of November, beating the 1989 full-year record of 2,300,944 units.

In another record month – the six this year and third in succession - registrations in November soared 13.4% to 184,278 units.

Sales to private buyers rose by more than a quarter in November on last year's level.

Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders' chief executive Christopher Macgowan said: “The all-time record for new car sales, which has stood for more than a decade, has been broken. While this is impressive enough, there is still a month of buying activity before the end of the year so we could see more than 2.4 million new car sales by the end of 2001.

“Yet another record month is truly an amazing result. All the more encouraging considering predictions of an inevitable sales slump by some commentators. There is no sign of a slowdown and showrooms throughout the country are full.”

Alan Pulham, the Retail Motor Industry Federation's franchised dealer director, said: “Low interest rates, incentives and consumer confidence continue to fuel buoyant car sales. With the good deals being offered by car dealers, we have all the ingredients for continued confidence and high retail sales in the new car market.”

By the end of the 2001, new car registrations should reach above 2.43 million units, said the SMMT.

But it stands by it assertion that next year will see a 'modest slowdown' in the new car market, but at present the market shows little sign of cooling.