July 2011 new car registration figures: New car registrations fell 3.5% in July according to the latest figures released today by the SMMT. 131,634 cars were registered in the month, with the market 3.5% or 4,812 units down on July 2010 with the market down 6.7% over the year-to-date with July marking the 13th successive monthly decline in … [Read more...]

Volkswagen, Europe’s largest car manufacturer, has set a new record by selling more than 4 million vehicles during the first half of the year. Deliveries increased by 14% on the same period in 2010 and were led by strong growth in Asian markets, mostly in China the region's largest market, where sales grew 19% to 1.26m. Meanwhile European … [Read more...]

ŠKODA has announced record worldwide sales of 454,700 vehicles in the first half of 2011, representing an increase of 20.1% when compared with the same period of 2010. The Czech manufacturer also recorded its best ever June sales with 81,300 vehicles sold (71,300 in June 2010) and a new sales record for the fourth consecutive month. “In … [Read more...]

Sales of passenger vehicles in China, including cars, SUVs, MPVs and minivans, reached 7.1 million units in the first half of this year, up 5.8% year-on-year, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM). In the first 6 months of 2011, sales of passenger vehicles and light commercial trucks totalled 9.3 million units, up … [Read more...]

While the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) has been urging European governments to provide more support to their members and arguing for the relaxation of non-European markets prescriptive trade barriers, Peugeot have been forging a different route to success in the large emerging markets of the east. SAAB seems likely to … [Read more...]

June 2011 new car registration figures: New car registrations fell 6.2% in June according to the latest figures released today by the SMMT. 183,125 cars were registered in the month, with the market 6.2% or 12,101 units down on June 2010 while registrations over the first half of 2011 are down 7.1% to 1,029,638 units. “June new car … [Read more...]

Mark Ovenden has been appointed managing director, Ford of Britain, from August 15, 2011, replacing Nigel Sharp, who, on reaching 65, has elected to retire after 39 years with the company. Mark Ovenden, managing director and president of Ford Russia, returns to Britain after an assignment of almost three years at the head of Europe's fastest … [Read more...]

UK car manufacturing fell by 4.9% in May, but remains up 4.6% over the first five months of 2011 while UK engine production rose by 4.0% in May and was up 5.6% over the first five months of 2011. Following the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, the SMMT forecast earlier this year that there would most likely be a decline in production in Britain … [Read more...]

May 2011 new car registration figures: New car registrations fell 1.7% in May according to the latest figures released today by the SMMT. 150,431 cars were registered in the month, with the market just 1.7% or 2,664 units down on May 2010 while registrations over the first five months of 2011 are down 7.3% to 846,513 units. ‘New car … [Read more...]

Hyundai has sold five million vehicles in Europe since the first Hyundai Pony was imported in 1977. The five millionth vehicle was an i30, which was launched in 2007 and has subsequently sold just over 320,000 units across the european dealer network. Hyundai’s sales momentum in Europe has increased steadily since 1977, culminating more … [Read more...]

Indian car maker Tata Motors has reported a massive surge in profits to £1.3bn over the last year up a staggering 260% from the previous year thanks to a 33% increase in revenues. Business at its Jaguar Land Rover subsidiary witnessed a distinct turnaround, earning £1.1bn in profits before tax, having barely managing to break even in the … [Read more...]

The European new car market shrank by 3.1% in April pushing year to date sales down by 2.1%, according to JATO Dynamics. Total new car sales in Europe were 1,122,383 units, compared with 1,158,348 in April last year while year to date sales totalled 4,804,429 units, down from 4,905,000. Of the top 5 European markets, only Germany witnessed an … [Read more...]

Car output was up 7.0% over the first four months of 2011, but fell by 12.2% in April while UK engine production fell by 4.7% in April, but remained up 6.0% over the first four months. There were 86,306 vehicles manufactured in the UK in April and the number of cars built since the start of the year is 443,536 (up 7%), more than four-fifths were … [Read more...]