The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Scottish new car sales drive forward
The Scottish new car sector saw strong demand last month as it continued to confound fears of a slowdown.
At 15,278, new car registrations were almost 2% higher in November than in the same period last year.
The sales mix was different from the previous year, however, with fleet registrations up by almost 1,000 to 7,327 and private sales 10% lower at 6,844.
The top selling car in the month was the Renault Clio at 860 units, almost double that recorded by long-term favourites, the Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Corsa.
Despite the overall increase, Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders figures show Tayside sales were 8% lower than last year at 883 units.
Fife recorded a 2.7% drop with a total of 683 new registrations.
The bulk of the uplift came as a result of strong growth in the Strathclyde market where almost 8,600 cars were sold last month.
Sandy Burgess, chief executive of the Scottish Motor Trade Association, said it had been a strong month for the sector.
“To experience the growth we have over the last quarter in our challenging and uncertain market pays testimony to the resilience and determination that exists within our industry to deliver the correct mix of exciting fresh, fuel efficient and safer vehicles to meet the demands of Scotland’s motoring consumers,” he said.
At 184.101, total UK new car registrations were almost 3% higher in November than during the same month last year.
In the year to date, total Scottish registrations are flat at 208,188, while British sales are 2.4% ahead at 2.44 million.
Mr Burgess said the sector was on track for a full-year sales record.
“Whilst the conditions are far from ideal, we are now looking at a UK market that as a whole has surpassed the 2.5m units registered in year to date November for the very first time.
“There is a significant level of optimism within the industry for 2016 to be one of the strongest on record, indeed some of our dealers are now having to advise customers that their new vehicles may not appear before year end.”