* October new car registrations up 0.9 per cent to 153,851 units
* Year to October total down 3.2 per cent to 2,055,739 units
* Diesel registrations rise yet again, up 5.4 per cent to 64,128 units
* 2006 total year forecast revised upwards to 2.345 million units
‘Environmental issues are high on everyone’s agenda, be it car makers or car buyers. SMMT’s recently published Sustainability Report clearly shows that the motor industry is taking its environmental responsibilities seriously,’ said SMMT chief executive Christopher Macgowan. ‘October showed the highest diesel penetration this year, taking 41.7 per cent of new car registrations this month. Fuel efficiency and increased environmental awareness are now high on customers’ priorities when considering these significant purchases.’
The SMMT seventh annual Sustainability Report shows that from 2001-2005:
* Average energy use per vehicle cut from 6.2 to 3.2 MWh / vehicle
* Corresponding CO2 figure per vehicle down to 0.6 tonnes, from 1.3 tonnes
* Waste to landfill per vehicle slashed 78 per cent, from 66.4 kg to 14.5 kg Water use almost halved from 6.2 m3 to 3.2 m3
The full report can be viewed on our website www.smmt.co.uk
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 SMMT is acknowledged as the source of this information, the figures may be quoted. Substantial reproduction needs specific approval by SMMT.