Van sales on a high

  • New light commercial vehicle registrations rise 2.5% to 29,784 units in November
  • Lighter vans weighing 2.0-2.5T see biggest increase, with demand rising 43.1%.
  • Overall year-to-date market remains strong, up 2.1% to 348,448 units.

BRITAIN’S new lcv market achieved a record-breaking November with nearly 30,000 new vans hitting the road, according to figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

The tally of 29,784 new LCVs is the most for the month since the SMMT records began two decades ago.

SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: “The new van market’s growth in November is welcome news and an encouraging sign of ongoing business confidence.

“With almost 350,000 light commercials registered so far this year, the sector remains on track to beat 2015’s record-breaking performance.

“For this success to continue in 2017 and beyond, however, it is essential that the economic conditions that have kept this sector so buoyant in recent years are maintained.”

Ford was again far and away the market leader with 8,652 total CV sales – down 0.7% compared with November 2015 but still more than the combined totals of closest rivals Volkswagen (4,023) and Mercedes (3,502).

New van sales

Total sales of Ford CVs for the year to date were up 12.3% at 110,291 compared with 2015.

Ford is in its 51st year of UK CV market leadership and is set to close the year on another record performance with sales already surpassing 110,000, as Fiesta Van (1st), Transit Courier (1st), Transit Connect (2nd), Transit Custom (1st), Transit (1st) and Ranger (1st) are all placed first or second in their respective segments.

In  the sector as a whole, a 43.1% uplift in smaller vans weighing 2.0-2.5T to 4,929 drove growth in the month, while demand for versatile pick-ups also continued to rise – by a significant 36.7% to 3911.

Demand for heavier vans, meanwhile, fell for the second consecutive month, with registrations for vehicles weighing 2.5-3.5T down 4.4% but still the biggest segment at 18,316. However, year-to-date this segment remains strong at 18, up 7.0% in the first 11 months of the year, and accounting for 62% of the market.

New van sales

 

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