Record July new car market
Forecast for year-end 2002 revised upwards to 2.51 million units
- Momentum returns to new car market in July, up 13.1 per cent
- So far in 2002, registrations have risen seven per cent to 1,543,330 units
- July growth driven by private demand, up 14.1 per cent to 92,951 units
Commenting on the figures Christopher Macgowan, SMMT chief executive said,
‘The new car market has surpassed industry expectations so far this year, and
SMMT has revised its year-end forecast. If, as expected, sales hit 2.5 million
units it will be another record, coming hot on the heels of last year’s best-ever
figures.
‘July’s figures alone tell a familiar story of strong demand fuelled by lower
prices, low interest rates and an ever-increasing base of new models coming
onto the market. Sales will start to cool down later this year – but not by
enough to stop 2002 being another bumper year.’
Notes to editors
- July 2002 new car registrations reached 195,637 units, beating the previous
record total of 173,038, set in July 2001, by 22,599 cars. - Diesel registrations soared again in July 2002. Total registrations reached
47,311 units, up 52.7 per cent on the July 2001 total of 30,977 cars.
July 2002
The attached tables show the registration figures for Great Britain, Northern
Ireland, The Isle of Man and the Channel Islands in detail. Top performers by
range and UK penetration figures are also listed. Providing the SMMT is acknowledged
as the source of this information, the figures may be quoted. Substantial reproduction
needs specific approval by the SMMT.
