Sunderland car assembly plant of Nissan (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Sales of cars and SUVs in Britain fell 89.0% in May to just over 20,000 compared with the same month of 2019, an improvement on April’s coronavirus-destroyed minus 97.3% or a barely perceptible 4,321.
In May 2019, sales were 183,724.
For the first 5 months of the year, sales dropped 51.4% to 508,125.
The industry association, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), wants the market to “restart”, but didn’t call for government subsidy.
“After a second month of shutdown and the inevitable yet devastating impact on the market, this week’s re-opening of dealerships is a pivotal moment for the entire industry and the thousands of people whose jobs depend on it. Customers keen to trade up into the latest, cutting-edge new cars are now able to return to showrooms and early reports suggest there is good business given the circumstances, although it is far too early to tell how demand will pan out over the coming weeks and months,” Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said.
“Restarting this market is a crucial first step in driving the recovery of Britain’s critical car manufacturers and supply chain, and to supporting the wider economy. Ensuring people have the confidence to invest in the latest vehicles will not only help them get on the move safely, but these new models will also help address some of the environmental challenges the U.K. faces in the long term,” he said.
