The UK new car market rose by 2.5 per cent in July, delivering two years of consecutive growth, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). With 147,517 new cars reaching the road, it was the best performance for July since 2020, when a re-opening of dealerships following four months of lockdown saw a surge in deliveries to fulfil demand pent-up demand.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will set out next steps into its review of discretionary commission arrangements (DCAs) in May 2025, rather than in September 2024 as initially set out. A pause on complaint handling in relation to DCAs will also be extended until 4 December 2025. The FCA said it would set out its proposed next steps sooner, if possible.
“June marks a return to growth for new car registrations in the EU. However, it is important to note that the first half of 2024 experienced fluctuations, with consecutive growth occurring only in the first two months of the year,” said Sue Robinson, Chief Executive of the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA), commenting on the latest European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) April figures.
Shortly after the UK Labour Party completed its landslide victory in the General Election, ushering in the first major change of the UK government’s leading party in 14 years, associations from the country’s automotive value chain detailed what challenges await the new prime minister Keir Starmer and his incoming administration over the next five years.
The UK new car market has hit the half year million motors mark for the first time in five years, after new car registrations rose in June by a modest 1.1 per cent to reach 179,263 units, according to new figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). As a result, so far in 2024, 1,006,763 new cars have been registered, up 6.0 per cent on the previous year but still down -20.7 per cent on 2019.
The SMMT revealed that the UK’s used car market has grown by 6.5 per cent in the first quarter of 2024, with 1,967,923 transactions occurring through January, February, and March. The increase marks 16 months of successive growth and the strongest start to a year since pre-pandemic 2019. “The first quarter of 2024 has seen a period of remarkable growth in the used car market with a 6.5 per cent increase, marking the best start to a year since 2019”, said Sue Robinson, chief executive of the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA).
Sue Robinson, chief executive of the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA), which represents franchised car and commercial vehicle retailers in the UK, urged the Government to rethink price incentives.
Northern Ireland’s infrastructure minister John O’Dowd has announced the introduction of one-year temporary exemption certificates (TECs) to some private cars. The TECs will apply to private cars first registered between 1 June 2019 and 31 May 2020 or between 1 June 2017 and 31 May 2018, which have a valid MOT certificate issued by the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA). TECs will come into effect from 1 June 2024 and will be automatically processed by the DVA. The Minister also confirmed that he will consider launching a public consultation on Biennial MOT testing. Sue Robinson, chief executive of the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA), expressed the organisation’s disappointment with the decision.
On Wednesday 10 April, NFDA-NI members hosted a meeting for key figures within Northern Ireland (NI) including MLAs, MPs, various associations and chargepoint operators at a cross-party roundtable meeting at the Culloden Estate in Belfast.
The national franchised dealer association (NFDA) helped to facilitate the visit of Justin Madders MP to M53 Ford at their Ellesmere Port dealership in Madders’ constituency. As well as being the local MP, Madders is Shadow Minister for business, employment rights and levelling up. Over the past few years, NFDA has helped to organise similar meetings in which a number of parliamentarians have met with franchised retailers in their constituencies.
Published on Monday 8 April 2024, NFDA’s Dealer Attitude Survey, Winter 2024 edition, was carried out over a five-week period between the end of January and the start of March 2024, asking franchised dealers 59 questions about the ongoing business relationship with their respective manufacturer(s). The survey attracted 2,321 responses from 32 franchised networks, equating […]
March’s new car registration figures from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) have shown a decline following growth in the first two months of 2024. Across the EU, registrations declined by -5.2 per cent, this included major markets like Germany (-6.2 per cent), Spain (-4.7 per cent), Italy (-3.7 per cent), and France (-1.5 per cent). However, for Q1, car registrations increased by 4.4 per cent in the EU, with solid growth in Italy (+5.7 per cent), France (+5.7 per cent), Germany (+4.2 per cent), and Spain (+3.1 per cent).
The UK new car market clocked up its 20th consecutive month of growth in March, with a 10.4 per cent rise in registrations. In what is typically the busiest month of the year due to the new number plate, 317,786 new cars reached the road with a 24 plate – the best March performance since 2019, although still -30.6 per cent below pre-pandemic levels.
In February, the EU experienced a surge in car sales, up by 10.1 per cent compared to last year, totalling 883,608 units. France and Italy led this growth with double digit increases (13 per cent and 12.8 per cent respectively), while Spain and Germany followed with solid single-digit growth (9.9 per cent and 5.4 per cent). Battery-electric cars maintained a stable market share of 12 per cent, with sales growing by 9 per cent to 106,187 units. Hybrid-electric cars saw a surge in sales by 24.7 per cent, totalling 255,511 units and capturing nearly 29 per cent of the market. Plug-in hybrid cars also experienced notable growth, now representing 7.3 per cent of the EU car sales.
The National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) has expressed concerns over the delays drivers in Northern Ireland are facing in getting MOT tests. The region has been in an MOT crisis since 2020, when hairline cracks were found in the Driver and Vehicle Agency’s 55 Maha lifts, found to be caused by excessively long service cycles, as Tyrepress reported in 2021. These issues were compounded by the Covid pandemic, and a satisfactory resolution has yet to be found. Sue Robinson, chief executive of the NFDA said the current state of MOT testing in Northern Ireland is “unacceptable”.
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