UK car sales continue to break records in face of Brexit

“The new plate, combined with a diverse range of exciting new models featuring the latest technology, has certainly helped draw buyers into showrooms and many are taking full advantage of the attractive deals and low interest financing options on offer,” he said.

“Business and consumers place September orders many months in advance, so the ability of the market to maintain this record level of demand will depend on the ability of government to overcome political uncertainty and safeguard the conditions that underpin consumer appetite.”

Chris Bosworth, director of strategy at Close Brothers Motor Finance, isn't so confident in September's figures. He said “As we have seen for the last six months, private sales have continued to fall causing the growth trajectory of new car registrations to steadily drop. Many consumers are now starting to gravitate to well-priced ‘nearly-new’ stock as manufacturers reduce the number of subsidised finance offers available. With the business market likely to be impacted by the outcome of the current HMRC review into company cars, the private sales market will become increasingly important to overall registrations in the UK.

Bosworth made reference to recent announcements from UK-based car makers, including Nissan and Vauxhall, that threatened reduced investment or rising prices due to Britain's impending exit from the European Union. “[This means] the make-up of the UK car industry in the long term is far from certain, he said.