Cars Registrations SMMT News

Britain goes Car Crazy for New Number Plate

01 September 2003 #Cars #Registrations #SMMT News

Today is new registrations day and the car industry is bracing itself for a day of frenzied activity as consumers snap up brand new cars all round the country.


September is traditionally the month when most cars are sold and this year is expected to be no different. So is business booming within the British car industry? New registration figures released today by The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders provide a unique insight into which counties buy the most cars and what type of cars they choose.


Over 440,000 new cars will be registered in the UK this month, pushing the year-to-date total ever closer to the expected 2.52 million units forecast by SMMT. This will make 2003 the second highest total on record, just 40,000 units short of last year’s figure.


SMMT Chief Executive Christopher Macgowan commented ‘As the first of the ’53’ number plates leave Britain’s forecourts today, car manufacturers are preparing themselves for a bumper month of new car registrations. September car sales account for over 15 per cent of the annual car market and nearly 25 per cent of those cars will be registered today. Car sales have soared this year, remaining strong as European markets falter. Low prices and great deals have driven buyers to take advantage of the ever-growing choice of models, pushing forecasts close to our best ever total.’


The top county for new car registrations (based on year-to-date figures per head of population) is Berkshire and the county’s motorists obviously like to drive to impress, as they are also top of the new convertible car registrations. Residents of Surrey are power freaks – they top the list for the new car registrations with engines over 4500cc. Lovers of estate cars are most likely to be found in Warwickshire, while the Welsh are the least likely to buy a new car based on this year’s figures.


Notes to Editors:

      Top 10 counties for new car registrations based on year-to-date registrations by private buyers.

      • Berkshire
      • Bucks.
      • Leicestershire
      • Cheshire
      • Herts.
      • Wiltshire
      • West Midlands
      • Warwickshire
      • Hereford and Worcester
      • Surrey

      Top and bottom ten lists are also available for registrations to private buyers, registrations of cars with engines over 4500cc, engines under 850cc, convertibles, MPVs, saloons, estates, automatic transmissions, diesel and petrol cars.

      New car registration figures for August 2003 will be issued at 11.30am on Thursday 4 September and will be available to download from www.smmt.co.uk from midday on Thursday.

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