UK New Car Registrations Up 2.5% in 2007

New car registrations in the UK were the sixth highest on record in 2007. During the year registrations rose 2.5 per cent to 2,404,007 units, surpassing the forecast figure by 90,000 units. Of this, diesel vehicles accounted for a record 40.2 per cent, at 967,436 units an increase of 7.66 per cent over 2006 figures. Also higher last year were registrations of supermini and small family cars, up 17,729 and 25,084 units respectively.

“Last year, demand for new cars was stronger than many had predicted,” said the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) CEO Paul Everitt. “There is little sign that the US credit crisis or rising fuel prices have affected demand and we foresee only limited changes through 2008. The UK economy currently remains resilient and the new car market is ultra-competitive.”

According to SMMT figures, average new car CO2 emissions fell 1.4 per cent year on year to 164.9 g/km, with emissions falling by 13.1 per cent in the ten years since 1997. “This is further evidence of the progress made by car makers in driving down CO2,” commented Everitt. “The industry will continue to invest in the technologies that bring greener cars to market, and is committed to working in partnership with government and other stakeholders through initiatives like ActOnCO2, to drive home greener motoring messages to our customers.”

The outlook for 2008 registrations is not expected to change dramatically compared to year-end 2007, and a slight decrease in registrations, to 2.34 million units, is forecasted.