65 plate fuels record September sales

Latest SMMT data shows that a total of 207,702 fleet cars were registered last month, equating to 44.9% of the market – up compared to the 42.3% market share held in September 2014.

More than 460,000 new cars were registered last month, making it the most successful September on record in terms of registrations, Society of Motor Manufactures and Traders figures have revealed.

It takes the total van registrations up 17.4% year to date to 284,161 units.

Meanwhile sales of alternatively-fuelled vehicles, which mainly comprises electric and hybrid cars, climbed strongly again, registration figures up 21.7 per cent with 12,116 registered. It is the 43rd consecutive month of growth. The SMMT added this has been the first time since 2004 that sales have crossed the two million units threshold after the first nine months of the year.

At the same point last year, diesel cars were outselling their petrol counterparts – and have outsold petrol each year since 2011.

Gains were made across all market sectors – private, fleet and business – while petrol, diesel and alternatively fuelled vehicles all saw increased demand.

A record number of cars for the month of September were sold last month, despite the emergence of the VW emissions scandal. “Customer demand for diesel remained strong, accounting for one in two cars registered”.

Mike Hawes, chief executive, SMMT, said: “The continued recovery of the commercial vehicle market is good to see”.

“While the United Kingdom economy may now be going through a softer patch, this is certainly not true of auto sales”, said economist Howard Archer from analysts IHS. October’s figures could be far more telling.