New auto registrations in Scotland for the first 10 months of 2015 are up 0.2 per cent on a year ago to 193,729 against growth of seven per cent for the remainder of the United Kingdom, excluding Scotland, where 2,080,821 new vehicles were registered in the first 10 months. Total sales so far this year stand at 2,274,500 units, though – up 6.4 per cent on last year.
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Nonetheless, year-to-date figures strongly demonstrate that the new auto market is still very buoyant.
Wales also endured a quieter month than previous year, with 6,469 registrations marking a deficit of three per cent from the 6,669 last October. “The current full-year growth forecast remains on track, and we are encouraged that the growth and stability of the market will continue through the remainder of the year”. In an official statement he said that “the sector is in a strong position, as low interest rates, consumer confidence and exciting new products combine to attract new auto buyers”.
As expected, the figures show a drop-off in sales for the Volkswagen Group in the light of the emissions scandal. Fleet registrations were up, however, 2.2%.
Although the drop in VW sales could be attributed to the scandal, several other brands also saw their sales decline year-on-year in October as the industry’s extraordinary run of monthly growth finally stalled.
But with Vauxhall and Ford – which account for 24 per cent of the market – both posting sales slumps of 16.4 and 8.8 per cent respectively, the dieselgate scandal looks to have had a wider impact on the industry as a whole.
In the first sign that Volkswagen’s emissions cheating scandal was beginning to hit sales, VW Group registrations were down 2.7 percent in the five biggest markets – Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Spain.
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Commenting on the VW registrations, Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, told BBC Radio 5 live: “Given the issues they’ve [Volkswagen] been experiencing over the last six weeks or so, a few small adjustment is to be expected”.
