UK car sales fell by 4.2 per cent in November to 134,027 units - almost 6,000 less than in November 2010.
New car registrations over the first 11 months of 2011 were down by 4.5 per cent, at 1,822,065 units.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers (SMMT), the trade body that represents the UK automotive sector, said that November's sales were around five per cent above forecasts - and the full year forecast 1.923m units is likely to be bettered - but the figures will make for worrying reading, given the growing consensus around a double-dip recession in the UK.
New car registrations for the last three months are around one per cent down on a year ago - although the market rose in August and October - while six-month volumes are down by 1.8%. SMMT says that the market is currently down by around 20 per cent on pre-recession levels.
SMMT says that this relative stability is increasingly at odds with difficult economic situations in the US and Eurozone. Stalling growth in new markets, including China, and a tough domestic market in Japan will also beg questions as to whether growth may come from in the next five year.
The market continues to be supported by growth in the fleet market and customer incentives.
Paul Everitt, SMMT Chief Executive, welcomed the delayed 3p rise in fuel duty announced in Chancellor George's Osborne's Autumn Statement.
Sectors
The buoyant fleet market continues to benefit the automotive industry, with a very high market share of 55.7 per cent and increased sales on November 2010 - up by 7.5 per cent.
Private and business sales were both down by 15.7 per cent in the month - with just 5,129 business registrations in November 2011. Fleet sales dominate over the course of the year, with 951,278 registrations in the sector against 777,792 private registrations.
Fuel types
Supported by the fleet market consumers favouring more efficient products, diesel cars achieved a record 55.6 per cent share of the market in November.
Diesel registrations are up by 5.4 per cent in 2011, while petrol models are down by 13.3 per cent.
Alternatively-fuelled cars took a record 1.6 per cent market share, aided by the increased availability of new electric models such as the Renault Kangoo ZE and hybrid models such as the Peugeot 3008 Hybrid.
Fuel efficiency
November 2011 saw the average fuel economy at its best every figure at 52.5mpg - a 29.3 per cent improvement in last 10 years.
Sectors
The Dual Purpose segment - including 4x4s and SUVs - rose by 18.5 per cent in November, with a raft of new models and oncoming winter boosting the segment.
The supermini segment, traditionally the largest, saw a modest fall but the market share for the segment rose to 34.6 per cent, from 33.9 per cent a year ago.
The Ford Fiesta remained the best selling model in both November and over the year-to-date. The Mercedes C-Class made a rare foray into the top ten best-sellers for November.
Commercials
Van and truck registrations were up 19.1% to 27,187 units in November, and over the rolling year were up 18.6% to 300,331.
Van registrations were up 18.6% to 22,684 units in November; and over rolling year up 17.7 per cent to 258,824.
“Both the van and truck market saw growth, reflecting sustained investment in new vehicles by businesses," said Everitt.
"London’s new Low Emission Zone comes into effect on 3 January, requiring drivers of older vans and trucks to upgrade their vehicles or pay a daily fee, so we expect to see a boost to registration levels next month and through the early part of 2012."
Used cars
British Car Auctions' (BCA) latest Pulse report indicates that used-car values rose by £238 (3.9%) to £6,201 in November, the second highest value on record since the market recovered in 2009.
Most of the increase was felt in the part-exchange sector. Values rose more modestly in the fleet and lease sector, while nearly-new models dropped in value by 4.1%.
Year-on-year, November 2011 is a substantial £409 (7%) ahead of the same month in 2010, and £298 (5%) ahead of the figure recorded two years ago, says BCA.
Manufacturers - winners and losers
Notable winners for November include marques making a return or breaking into the new-car market.
Chrysler
Chrysler saw a 568 per cent rise in new car registrations despite selling just 234 units last month. That’s largely thanks to the arrival of two new models in the UK in the form of the Delta hatchback and the Ypsilon supermini. Chrysler is still behind 2010 sales figures for the year to date however.
Infiniti and Lexus
Infiniti prospered after a 126.67 per cent rise in new car sales in November. That comes off the back of the new M35h hybrid saloon and increased publicity thanks to its association with the Red Bull Formula One team and a number of new dealerships opening up across the UK.
Lexus’s fortunes are also on the rise after it secured a 145.92 per cent rise in new car sales last month. 2011 has been a busy year for Toyota’s luxury arm with a number of upgrades, facelifts and new models. The hard work seems to have paid off with sales improving dramatically for the year-to-date, as well as November.
Ssangyong
The biggest mover is Ssangyong who has increased its sales by a massive 700 per cent in November. Again that improvement comes off the back of a new model -the new Korando crossover – and increased exposure.
Sales are still down for the year to date but after the best part of a year out of the UK, the Korean manufacturer will be paying little attention to year-to-date comparisons.
Saab and MG
Saab’s troubles have been well documented of late and, after filing for bankruptcy protection last week, the mood will not have been lightened by November sales figures that are down by almost 100 per cent compared to the same month in 2010.
SMMT’s figures will also worry MG who, despite returning to the UK with the new MG6 hatchback and saloon, has failed to reach double figures with just seven unit sales in November. That compares to just six new car registrations in the same month in 2010.
Others
Bentley, Land Rover and Mini are all up by 20 per cent or more - in some good results for British manufacturers - as are Volvo.
However, Jaguar and Lotus were both down on November 2010 - by one third and one half respectively - while Abarth, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Proton, Renault and Smart were all down by at least 30 per cent.
Ford and Vauxhall command over one quarter of the new-car market between them year-to-date, with Ford ahead on 13.79 per cent to Vauxhall's 12.02 per cent.