The Office of Fair Trading is pressing manufacturers to comply with laws that require transparency on the issue of pre-registered cars.

Following a complaint by the Retail Motor Industry Federation, the OFT has written to all manufacturers in the UK which have a market share of at least 1 per cent, reminding them of their obligations under the Supply of New Cars Order 2000. The order requires them to publish every month the number of pre-registered cars that have subsequently been supplied, as well as the value of these vehicles.

Alan Pulham, franchised dealer director for the Retail Motor Industry Federation (RMI), says: ‘Since the order came into force, the ownership of new car dealers has changed dramatically. Manufacturers now own a significant number of dealerships and the RMI is concerned that the market has been distorted by some manufacturers who may not have been reporting the number and value of cars pre-registered by their own dealers.

'We welcome the OFT's move to enforce transparency in the way new cars are pre-registered as a positive step towards achieving a true picture of the new car market.'