- New car market reaches 2,567,269 units in 2004, 0.5 per cent down on 2003
- Diesel hits 835,334 units, up 18.5 per cent, with record 32.5 per cent market share
- December registrations dip 7.1 per cent to 144,353 units from 155,452 units
Commenting on the end of year figures, SMMT chief executive, Christopher Macgowan said, ‘Last year was only the third on record where new car registrations broke the 2.5 million barrier. However, despite strong first quarter demand and growth in November, we missed taking the run of consecutive record years to four by just 11,781 units.
‘The market for 2005 is expected to reach around 2.465 million units which, in the context of the last 10 years, remains a robust forecast. Nevertheless, our expectations point to a slightly weaker market than in recent years, a reflection that the automotive industry is not immune to the competitive pressures affecting other sectors.’
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