A number of premium car makers saw big drops in new car registrations in January, according to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
Audi and Porsche suffered notable losses compared with the same period last year, recording falls of 27% and 42% respectively. Those figures contrasted with a significant year-on-year increase of nearly 80% for Volvo, boosted by the launch of the new Volvo XC40.
Jaguar Land Rover's well-publicised sales decreases seem to be slowing (in the UK at least), with Jaguar recording a 2.4% drop and Land Rover a 1% drop.
Overall, the UK car market dipped by 1.6% over January 2018, with just over 161,000 cars registered. SMMT boss Mike Hawes called the figures "encouraging", but acknowledged it was still the fifth consecutive month of decline for the UK.
"To restore momentum, we need supportive policies, not least on vehicle taxation, to encourage buyers to invest in new, cleaner vehicles that best suit their driving needs – from the latest petrols and diesels to an ever growing range of exciting electrified vehicles" Hawes continued.
A continuing trend is the decline in market interest in diesels, with registrations down 20.1%, while petrol-powered models registered a 7.3% increase. Alternatively-fuelled vehicles (such as hybrids and battery electric models) continued to see strong growth, up 26.3% year-on-year.
There was also a marked decline in business registrations, down 33.5%, offset slightly by buyers returning to dealers as private sales grew 2.9%.
Read more
UK car registrations fall 6.8% in 2018, plus best-sellers revealed
Join the debate
Add your comment
Petrol
I have noticed over the last year, that the hire car company I use when visiting the UK has virtually no diesels available. This is in stark contrast to a few years ago. Not normally a problem for me, as I don't do high mileage. As for the drop in sales, I wonder if it is in part due to people realising that they don't really need a diesel and so buying petrol.
I agree with the comments about SUVs and petrol, if you need a 500bhp SUV then you're abviously going to buy petrol, and I can't imagine you would ever consider a diesel. But anyone buying a run-of-the-mill model, with a price tag of 20-30k, is more likely to be concerned about running costs, especially if they are covering above average annual mileage.
At home I run a diesel Toyota SUV and average about 15k miles a year, I would never consider a petrol. In the future, when the infrastructure exists, I would look at an EV version.
Sales
Anti diesal is one thing but I do believe the above are a greater contributor to Audis issues
Porsche diesal has to be the big element here plus across VAG not buying able to buy models because the new emissions testing has run behind plan
Lack of Petrol A3?
You can get a A3/S3 petrol with a 1.0t and 1.5t which is about par for the course. And bear in mind you used to be able to get a 2.0 and 2.5 which are in limbo as a new model comes out next year.
But yes new testing routines really caught VAG out.
Where's the Audi petrol
I agree with Phewitt21. I'm was looking for a S5 Sportback or S4 Avant and neither is on sale any more. The most powerful pertol is 190HP so I'm looking elsewhere.
Make nice cars, people buy them.
Simples.
Just look at Volvo.
Agreed
No argument with that whatsoever.