Is F-Pace proving too hot for Land Rover?
LAND ROVER has seen a near 20% dip in vehicle sales in the UK, according to new figures.
New registrations figures for November, released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, show that 5,278 Land Rover vehicles were registered last month as against 6,535 for the corresponding month last year, a fall of 19.2%.
Sales are still ahead more than 21% for the year-to-date so alarm bells won’t be ringing just yet. However, the fall is one of the most significant in recent times.
By contrast, sales of stablemate Jaguar continue to rise.
The SMMT figures show 2,905 Jaguar cars were registered last month, against 2,140 for November 2015, an increase 35.75%.
There is no breakdown of model sales but one factor in the discrepancy could be Jaguar’s new F-Pace crossover.
The four-wheel-drive – the first purpose-built SUV produced by the company – is Jaguar’s fastest ever seller, eclipsing the XE.
There is a possibility that buyers may be favouring the new car above the traditional off-roaders produced by Land Rover. Such a situation was always a possibility for JLR, ever since it announced its intention to produce a Jaguar SUV.
Another factor which could help to explain the figures is buyers waiting for the launch of the new Discovery, rather than commit to the out-going model.
Whatever the reason, JLR will be keeping a close eye on developments – just as will their competitors.
Of Land Rover’s rivals, Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Volvo all showed improvements last month – although the figures are for all models, rather than just SUVs so comparisons are difficult.
Overall, 184,101 new cars were registered in the UK this November, with the market increasing by a steady 2.9%.
The performance means more than 2.5 million new cars have been registered in Britain this year, the first time the milestone has been reached in November.
Demand for alternatively fuelled vehicles (AFVs) remained strong in the month, growing 25.1% to 6,663 units, representing 3.6% of the market – the highest ever achieved. Petrol registrations grew 7.9% to 88,541 units, while diesels just edged ahead on market share with 88,897 vehicles registered, a fall of 2.9%.
Superminis continued to be the most popular body style – making up more than a quarter (29.7%) of all cars registered in November, followed by small family cars and SUVs. Executive and city cars enjoyed the biggest growth, up 27.7% and 25% respectively. Meanwhile, fleets accounted for more than half of the market, as registrations to private buyers fell by 1.2%.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “Our industry continues to make vehicles that are ever safer, more refined, more efficient and more enjoyable to drive – and the latest advanced technology and cutting-edge designs are continuing to attract buyers into showrooms.
“It’s encouraging to see that alternatively fuelled vehicles, although still a small proportion of the market, have seen strong growth this month achieving a record market share. Long-term government support and incentives are essential if these vehicles are to command a larger market share in the future.”
Of the other manufacturers, Ford retained top spot with a market share of almost 12%, with Vauxhall trailing a distant second with a share of just 8.68% – despite both the Astra (2nd) and Corsa (4th) featuring in the top 10 best-sellers.
Such is the brand’s decline – 23.72% in November – that it is real danger of surrendering its market status to BMW, which saw growth of more 28% last month to claim a market share of 8.33%.
Another interesting statistic from last month is the 10.75% growth in registrations for Volkswagen, which suggests that fallout from the emissions scandal may be close to working itself out of the market.
