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RMI responds to Apr regs

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Time 9:49 am, May 7, 2011

new-car-finder-launch-successIN response to April’s registrations figures, the RMI has said the April ‘market performed relatively well.’

April saw registration figures down by 7.4 per cent – the tenth successive decline in volumes.

Sue Robinson, director of the RMI National Franchised Dealers Association  – which represents franchised car  and commercial vehicle retailers across the UK and Northern Ireland – said: ‘April market has performed relatively well during a period that has seen a lot of disruption with a number of factors slowing the market.


‘There have been a number of bank holidays which resulted in slow showroom traffic, although when consumers visited they did tend to buy. There has also been a knock on affect on supply after the disaster in Japan and there are still signs of a lack of consumer confidence. That said the results show that despite the conditions people are still out there visiting showrooms and purchasing vehicles.

‘We anticipate much greater improvement to the market at the back end of the year which we believe will continue into 2012 when the market will be much stronger.’
Meanwhile, John Leech, partner in KPMG’s automotive practice, said:  ‘It was feared that we would see real pressure on new car sales, but these figures show a degree of resilience in the market, especially from fleet buyers.
‘This comes as a relief given that new car sales are a leading indicator of UK consumer sentiment.  The SMMT’s forecast that sales in 2011 would be five percent up after excluding 2010 scrappage sales remains a good prediction, although expect  pressures of negative household spending to start impacting car sales over the summer months.

‘On the supply side, the impact of the Japan Tsunami will lengthen lead times over the summer and this will see the deferral of some new car registrations. All this contrasts with the experience of the UK automotive manufacturers who continue to benefit from strong export demand principally from Asia.  What this means for the UK automotive industry, despite the mounting pressures on UK new car sales, is that the mood amongst component suppliers, manufacturers.’

James Batchelor's avatar

James – or Batch as he’s known – started at Car Dealer in 2010, first as the work experience boy, eventually becoming editor in 2013. He worked for Auto Express as editor-at-large and was the face of Carbuyer’s YouTube reviews. In 2020, he went freelance and now writes for a number of national titles and contributes regularly to Car Dealer. In October 2021 he became Car Dealer's associate editor.



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