British car market experiences longest-ever period of growth
Xinhua, March 6, 2015 Adjust font size:
British new car sales grew 12 percent annually in February with 76,958 cars rolling off the lot, data released on Thursday showed.
February marked the 36th consecutive month, or third year, of rises, the longest sustained expansion in history, said the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
"Three years of continuous growth in the new car market is remarkable and reflects the strong upturn in the confidence of UK car buyers since the recession," said Mike Hawes, SMMT's chief executive.
The Ford Fiesta topped the list of best sellers, with 4,096 vehicles sold in February. Other strong sales included Volkswagen's Golf, Vauxhall's Corsa, Vauxhall's Astra, and Ford's Focus.
The automotive industry is a vital part of the British economy with more than 160,000 people employed in manufacturing and in excess of 770,000 across the wider automotive industry. It accounts for one tenth of the total British goods export and invests 1.9 billion pounds each year in automotive research and development. Endit