UK new car sales rise only 1.3% in September - SMMT

British new car registrations increased by a weak 1.3% in the important sales month of September as demand picked up only slightly from a double-digit drop in the same month last year when stricter emissions rules hit the market. A total of 343,255 vehicles were sold in September, one of two months each year when license plate series changes typically prompt high demand, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT)

"We expected to see a more significant increase in September, similar to those seen in France, Germany, Italy, and Spain," said SMMT Chief Executive Mike Hawes. "Instead, consumer confidence is being undermined by political and economic uncertainty."

In September 2018, demand slumped by just over 20% as tougher emissions rules came into force in the European Union, disrupting the availability of certain vehicles and prompting some automakers to offer sales incentives ahead of the change.

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