The UK auto industry lobby SMMT has significantly raised its forecast for 2013 new car registrations, predicting sales will reach 2.216m units, 8.4% ahead of 2012.
Strong performance across the private, fleet and business market sectors saw the 17th successive monthly rise in July, growing 12.7% to 162,228 units.
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Registrations of alternatively-fuelled vehicles grew 17.0% in the month to 2,432 and hit 17,859 units for the January to July period.
Plug-in car registrations have risen 70.7% over the first seven months of 2013, to 1,885 units.
“Strong business and consumer confidence in July saw the new car market continue to rise, posting double-digit growth in the month. Now we have evidence of consistent growth, we have raised our forecast for 2013 new car registrations to 2.216m units, an increase of over 8% on last year,” said Mike Baunton, SMMT interim chief executive.
“Recently, we’ve seen a range of economic indicators point to improving conditions and our raised sales forecast emphasises how positively we view the rest of 2013.”
Total commercial vehicle registrations were flat in July at 22,211 (-0.6%) with 177,708 registrations over the year to date, a 6.5% rise.
Vans dipped 2.6% in the month to 18,417 units, but remained 9.3% up for the January-July period with 151,594 registrations.
Truck demand rose 10.3% in the month, beginning to turn around the 7.8% decline over the year to date.
“July’s commercial vehicle market performed on par with 2012 levels as rising truck volumes helped to offset a dip in van sales,” said Nigel Base, SMMT commercial vehicle manager.
“We’ve been expecting a rise in truck volumes as the Euro 5/6 issue comes to a head. In July, trucks rose 10.3% continuing the trend begun a month earlier – a momentum that should continue to the end of the year. Van registrations have fluctuated through the year with dips following sizable peaks in demand. We are confident that the van market will end the year strongly, up 9.2% on 2012, topping 261,000 units.”
