The final UK 2018 new-car registration figure is expected to be 2.4 million at best, a 5.5% drop on 2017 and a fall of 10.9% from the 2016 peak of just under 2.7 million.
The hope is the market will now stabilise at around 2.3 million – but much will depend on Brexit. For now, here’s the good and bad news of 2018.
ALFA ROMEO - DOWN
- 2017 market share: 0.20%
- 2018 market share: 0.18%
Alfa Romeo is in the Last Chance Saloon but, unfortunately, the Stelvio appears to have passed out on the floor. Sales only just exceeded 1000 units this year – about 10% of what the Jaguar F-Pace achieves.
- 2017 market share: 0.06%
- 2018 market share: 0.06%
Now Britain’s only publicly listed car company, Aston is preparing for its next leap forward with the DBX SUV and Lagonda saloon (third time lucky after the failed 1961 Lagonda Rapide and 1976 Aston Martin Lagonda?).
AUDI - DOWN
- 2017 market share: 6.89%
- 2018 market share: 6.18%
Audi’s sales crashed in September because a shortage of engineers meant it could not homologate its cars for the new WLTP emission standards in time. Its market share will likely recover next year.
- 2017 market share: 0.07%
- 2018 market share: 0.07%
Is Bentley in trouble? The Bentley Bentayga was meant to sharply increase the luxury brand’s sales, yet market share is essentially no higher than before. Bentley has denied reports that is it awash with unsold examples of its SUV, saying sales of the model are as expected.
BMW - UP
- 2017 market share: 6.89%
- 2018 market share: 7.22%
BMW has bounced back this year, thanks to the new BMW X2 and 5 Series. The new 3 Series (still BMW’s top seller) should give the sales numbers an even more significant boost during the course of 2019.
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Not so sure Skoda will be
Not so sure Skoda will be edged out by the Korean's, at least not yet. Skoda are replacing the Rapid which is their dud car, that'll help The Octavia is the big seller and sold (so I read somewhere) around 60% to fleet sales, and having just gone through a company car selection nothing Korean came close to an Octavia due to the tax efficient VW Group engines and range of option choices. The Koreans's were alomost 'this is the engine and this is the trim'. For private buyers it may well be the case though.
Seat v.Skoda
It seems to Skoda are flagging as Seat expands. There has been a big marketing push of Seat over the last few years and it looks like two "cheaper than a VW" brands are hard to sustain. Its not hepled by the topping and tailing as VW rushes SUVs onto the market. Yet to see though a group test featuring all 3 brands to work out which in fact it the best compromise though.
Alfa makes ugly cars??
Ok so Stelvio and Giulia arent selling here in great number, but this country loves Germans more than any other,so its all about Germans and ofcourse home made cars btw everywhere else Giulia and Stelvio sells more than Xe and Fpace. But what really is strange is some people here talking Italian design is dead..Have you seen Giulia on the road? By far The best looking sedan in the world, have you been to specsavers?
Everywhere else ?
Sorry but the Fpace is currently outselling the Stelvio in the states, not bad for an 'older' car. And the Giulia sales are disappointing too.