U.K. Sales Surprise in September

New-car sales in the important registration plate change month of September exceed expectations, rising 8.2% to 359,612 units.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders says the result was more than 26,000 units above what it had forecast.

September is the second-busiest month for car sales, averaging about 18% of the annual market, second only to March. The result took the 9-month total up 4.3% to 1,620,609 units.

In a sign of the country’s current economic difficulties, car purchases by the business sector are off 11.1% to 72,133 units so far this year. Private-consumer purchases are up 11.4% to 745,018.

The Ford Fiesta was the best selling new car in September (18,651 units) and also leads for the year (88,747).

The Opel Corsa followed with 17,089 units for September and 72,475 year-to-date, ahead of the third-placed Ford Focus with 13,837 for the month and 64,521 thus far this year.

Third-quarter sales rose 7.5%, the best non-scrappage-impacted quarterly result since 2001, but the market remained well below pre-recession levels. In 2007, the 9-month sales total was 1.94 million units.

“Although the economic outlook remains challenging, we are starting to see a tentative return of consumer confidence, as motorists explore new products and the latest fuel-efficient technologies,” SMMT CEO Paul Everitt says in a statement.

The SMMT will revise its full-year forecast, now put at 1.97 million units, later this month.

Commercial-vehicle sales rose 0.8% in September to 43,787 units, with van deliveries up 1.1% to 39,060 and truck demand down 1.5% to 4,727.

The result left the commercial segment down 3.4% after nine months at 221,438 units. The car segment was off 6.3% to 187,067, while the truck segment rose 16.0% to 34,371.

“The September plate change provided enough of a boost to stabilize van demand in a challenging economic environment,” Everitt says.

Market pacesetter Ford extended its lead as its new-car sales rose 9.3% in September to 47,370 units and pushed its 9-month total up 4.5% to 224,369.

“While U.K. sales are increasing, in contrast with many European markets, competition is intense, so it is significant that Ford has extended its market lead and beaten overall market growth,” Ford of Britain Managing Director Mark Ovenden says in a statement.

Ford’s CV market leadership remained unchallenged with 23.0% of the total market in September and a 22.1% share year-to-date. That compared with 11.4% and 11.0%, respectively, for its nearest rival.

The Ford Transit is in its 47th consecutive year as the U.K.’s best-selling CV, holding 17.6% of the market year-to-date compared with 5.6% for its nearest challenger.

Toyota sales soared 21.9% in September to 15,867 units, taking its 9-month total up 18.6% to 68,889. Its top performer was the new Yaris, which saw deliveries jump 73% year-on-year.

Hyundai sales rose 16.6% to a record 13,480 units for the month, giving it a 9-month total up 14.3% to 56,119.

Kia posted a fifth consecutive record monthly performance, with sales up 19.3% to 11,608 units. Year-to-date, Kia’s deliveries were up 22.3% to 52,899.