British new car sales hit record high in March
Xinhua, April 8, 2015 Adjust font size:
British new car registrations grew 6.0 percent annually in March topping out at 492,774 units, data released on Wednesday showed.
It was the highest number since new number plates were introduced twice a year in 1999, said the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
New products and attractive financing packages underpinned by low interest rates helped deliver this record result of 11.6 percent year-on-year growth, reflecting the economic confidence currently felt by British companies, said the SMMT.
Ford Fiesta topped the list of best sellers, with 27,034 units sold in March. Other best sellers included Vauxhall Corsa, Ford Focus, Nissan Qashqai and Volkswagen Golf.
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 export of goods and invests 1.9 billion pounds each year in automotive research and development. Endit