The UK’s Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has revised its 2003 forecast upwards by 50,000 units to 2.45 million sales because year-to-date registrations are down only 2.6%.

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If achieved, this would make 2003 the third highest total on record after 2002 registrations of 2,563,631 units and 2,458,769 in 2001.


Following a strong March figure, April registrations dipped 7% to 194,312 units, the second highest April figure on record.


Registrations to private buyers now account for 50.2% of the year-to-date new car market, up from 49.7 per cent for the same period in 2002.


Registrations over the first four months of 2003 stood at 907,252 units, 2.6% down on 2002’s record performance.

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The Ford Focus remained the UK’s best seller for the 36th consecutive month in April, well ahead of the second placed Fiesta.


With five models in the top 10, superminis accounted for 35.3% of the April market, up from 32.7% in 2002.


Demand for dual purpose 4x4s also continued to rise, up 10.4% in April.


Registrations of UK-based manufacturers, Honda and Nissan, rose in April, reflecting recent new model launches, although registrations of UK-produced cars fell overall.


Diesel demand has continued to rise with registrations up 4.8% in April. Diesel cars accounted for 26.2% of the new car market in April and 26.1% of all cars registered for the year-to-date


Diesel penetration is expected to reach 29% this year and rise to 31% in 2004. In the 1990s, registrations of new diesels averaged only 15.4% of the total new car market.