Sale of new cars in the UK fell by 20.5 per cent to 338,834 last month, with the decline blamed on a squeeze in the supply chain caused by the introduction of new European emissions standards, according to latest industry figures.
The sharp fall in sales “follows an unusually high August and a turbulent first eight months of the year” due to “confusion over diesel policy to [Vehicle Excise Duty] changes and the transition to the new WLTP emissions standards”.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said 338,834 vehicles were registered, which is 20.5per cent less compared to the same period last year.
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: “With the industry given barely a year to approve the entire European model line-up, it’s no surprise that we’ve seen bottlenecks and a squeeze on supply.
“These are exceptional circumstances with similar declines seen in other major European markets.
“The good news is that, as backlogs ease, consumers and businesses can look forward to a raft of exciting high-tech cars and a market keen to recover lost momentum.”
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