Rise in number of car registrations

Year-to-date registrations were down 8.8 per cent at 1,844,063 units, however the SMMT has forecast that full-year market figures are likely to exceed 1,975,000 units.

Volumes in the past five months have risen by 11.2 per cent, or more than 110,000 units; sales for business, fleet and private cars increased in the month, with private sales recording a 141.2 per cent rise.

As with the majority of this year, Ford Fiestas were the best-selling model in November, with the registration of smaller cars continuing to outperform the market.

The SMMT said that the results for November 2009 were above expectations and could push the market up to November 2007 levels.

Further growth is predicted in December and the market is expected to be around 50,000 units above the 1,928,000-unit forecast in October.

However, the SMMT said the outlook for 2010 remains uncertain, due to the scrappage scheme ending and VAT returning to 17.5 per cent.