October Second-Best Month of 2014 for U.K. Car Sales

U.K. new-car sales jumped 14.2% in October to 179,714 units as the 32nd consecutive month of growth pushed year-to-date sales over 2 million units for the first time since 2007.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders says the 10-month total reached 2,137,910 units as the October new-car market outperformed expectations, with sales showing the strongest growth in a month since March’s 18% rise.

“With economic confidence still rising, customers continue to benefit from attractive financial packages on exciting new models,” SMMT CEO Mike Hawes says in a statement. “We still expect the overall market to level off as we head towards 2015, but the exception to that rule will be alternatively fueled vehicles, demand for which will continue to accelerate.”

The demand for AFVs in October was up 58.9% to 4,692 units with a 10-month total climbing 51.2% to 42,534.

With two months still remaining in the year, AFV sales were 12,000 units ahead of the full-year total for 2013.

SMMT says gasoline-electric hybrid cars have long been the most popular choice for AFV buyers, but other variants are gaining in popularity. Registrations of all-electric cars have more than doubled over last year, while those of plug-in hybrid and range-extended models look set to quadruple by the end of 2014.

“Key to this surge in popularity is a constantly increasing range of models available,” it says. “In 2011 buyers were restricted to just six plug-in models. Now there are 20 to choose from, in a range of body styles including coupes and SUVs.”

The Ford Fiesta led the market in October with 9,157 sales and for the year-to-date with 116,087.

The Fiesta’s 10-month total would place it seventh in the list of top-selling automakers, meaning that on its own it outsold the entire car ranges of all but five of Ford’s rivals.

Ford’s Focus followed with 7,116 deliveries in October and 74,131 after 10 months.

The Vauxhall Corsa was in third place with 6,184 sales last month and 68,877 year-to-date.

SMMT says commercial-vehicle demand grew 27.0% in October to 35,027 units, driving the market up 14.1% year-to-date to 304,483.

Truck deliveries jumped 65.7% to 8,457 units, marking the first month of growth for the segment in 2014. Year-to-date levels were down 9.2% to 35,842.

Hawes says October marked the first month of 2014 in which truck deliveries rose, given the paucity of demand following the introduction of Euro-6 emissions rules.

“While encouraging, we should treat such a sharp percentage increase with caution, owing to a relatively small total market and new-type approval regulations coming into force at the end of the month,” he says. “Van registrations also performed well, yielding solid growth for the total commercial-vehicle market.”

U.K. market leader Ford recorded 101,037 sales during September and October, its best 2-month result since March/April 2008, giving a lead of more than 100,000 units over its nearest rival.

Ford of Britain Chairman and Managing Director Mark Ovenden says the success of the extended Ford CV family can be measured by the fact that total Transit nameplate sales exceed those of any car – apart from Fiesta and Focus.

Ford’s October car sales of 24,221 were up 13.6% year-on-year, giving it a 10-month total up 6.2% to 286,975.