The automotive sector in Europe has been hard-hit by the failing continental economy, with all manufacturers announcing some form of measures designed to alleviate the extra strain put on their operations. Factories are closing down, dealers are going out of business and people are buying less new metal than they did a few years back, and the new cars they are turning to are cheaper and smaller than most would have preferred.
However, it seems that a few miles of English Channel is all that is required for the money troubles to go away, because so far in the year, the UK has registered a 7.4 percent increase in the sale of new cars in Q1. The trend was maintained through March, when sales rose 5.9 percent, and a total of 394,806 vehicles were shifted. It is now the 13th consecutive month of growth, which was primarily driven by increased demand from the private sector, as the number of cars being registered by individuals rose 11.2 percent so far in the year.
The Interim Chief Executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), Mike Baunton, argues, “despite ongoing economic concerns, consistent monthly growth in the market is an encouraging sign of returning consumer confidence as motorists are attracted to forecourts by new models and the latest technologies.” To elaborate on that, their statistics also indicate that compact city cars and MPVs have gained a lot of popularity, more so than that of other classes of vehicles – that’s thanks in no small part to the general improvement of the standard of such vehicles, as well as the addition of more eye-catching gadgets at lower and lower prices.
For instance, you can get the Dacia Sandero, which is the cheapest car in the UK, with a touchscreen infotainment unit that works surprisingly well (better than in many more expensive cars) and doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to specify – £600, in the case of the Romanian hatch.
Check out the SMMT’s video overview after the jump, for the complete picture.
By Andrei Nedelea
VIDEO