New car sales up 11% in March
Neil Lancefield, PA Transport Correspondent
6 April 2021, 5:30 am
Demand for new cars grew by 11% last month compared with March 2020, preliminary figures show.
Around 283,000 new cars were registered in the UK last month despite showrooms remaining shut, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said.
The year-on-year increase was still around 37% down on the average March total between 2010 and 2019.
Final figures for last month will be released by the SMMT at 9am on Tuesday.
Industry turnover between January and March was down £1.8 billion compared with the same period in 2020.
March is traditionally a strong month for car sales as new number plates are released.
CAR dealers across the north have turned digital during the latest lockdown to prevent a repeat of the near complete wipe-out seen across the industry in April and May last year.