Skip advert
Advertisement

Car sales drop

October's figures drop 23%, but success for Jaguar and BMW

UK car sales have taken a further dive, with October 2008 figures down 23 per cent on October 2007. The news is worse for private sales - down 28.8 per cent - with fleet figures faring a little better, dropping 16.3 per cent.

Year to date sales are down 8.8 per cent (or 184,541 cars) on last year, with petrol car numbers dropping 14.4 per cent but diesels selling a mere 0.4 per cent less. Overall sales for 2008 are expected to total 2.15 million, a drop of around a tenth compared to 2007, with 2009's total forecast at 1.92 million.

Advertisement - Article continues below

The winners of growing market apathy are, predicably, small cars and diesels, with the Vauxhall Corsa October's number one seller and oil-burners making up a record 45.6 per cent of sales. Conversely, though, the BMW 1-series has crept into the top ten best sellers while Dodge, Jaguar and Volvo are among the tiny handful of manufacturers improving sales.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Audi RS3 v Toyota GR Yaris v Mercedes-AMG A45 S – car pictures of the week
Hot hatch test
Features

Audi RS3 v Toyota GR Yaris v Mercedes-AMG A45 S – car pictures of the week

In the latest issue of evo, we test three of the most sophisticated hot hatches on sale against each other on road and track – these are our favourite…
29 Mar 2025
Performance Link Mazda MX-5 R300 review – an MX-5 with Honda VTEC power
Performance Link Mazda MX-5 R300 – front
Reviews

Performance Link Mazda MX-5 R300 review – an MX-5 with Honda VTEC power

A screaming 296bhp Honda VTEC engine and a full chassis upgrade package turn the NC-generation Mazda MX-5 into something altogether more thrilling
25 Mar 2025
Used Audi RS6 Avant (C7, 2013 - 2019) review, specs and buying guide – family-friendly supercar slayer from £20k
Audi RS6 – front
In-depth reviews

Used Audi RS6 Avant (C7, 2013 - 2019) review, specs and buying guide – family-friendly supercar slayer from £20k

Audi’s C7-generation RS6 may lack ultimate involvement, but it’s still a crushingly effective and desirable super-estate
27 Mar 2025