Car sales slump eases in February
* Sales figures boosted by fleet demand * Rise in executive car sales, but * still the eighth consecutive monthly drop...
The downturn in new car sales slowed in February, with a drop of 7.7% to 63,424 new registrations, according to figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
The drop is 6% smaller than predicted and was helped by a sharp increase in demand from company fleets.
February is a typically slow month for car sales, with private buyers opting to wait until the new registration plate is released in March.
Figures also show the small family car sector has declined, while registrations of executive and luxury cars have increased.
Diesel models also remain popular, making up over 50% of new registrations.
Top 10 best-sellers February 2011
Position
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10February sales
Volkswagen Golf
Vauxhall Corsa
Ford Focus
Ford Fiesta
Vauxhall Astra
Vauxhall Insignia
Vauxhall Zafira
Volkswagen Polo
Nissan Qashqai
Vauxhall MerivaRegistered
2709
2617
2483
2404
2036
1842
1705
1570
1367
1367Year-to-date
Ford Focus
Ford Fiesta
Vauxhall Corsa
Volkswagen Golf
Vauxhall Astra
Volkswagen Polo
Vauxhall Insignia
BMW 3 Series
Nissan Qashqai
Vauxhall ZafiraRegistered
10,065
8248
6980
6819
6546
4580
4078
4038
3475
3343
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