New car sales slump again
NEW car sales continued to slide last month, figures showed today.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said year-on- year sales were down 30% last month, while production slumped 58% as many plants shut down to reduce capacity.
The SMMT said action needed to be taken to boost consumer demand. It expects the market to decline by a fifth in 2009 to 1.72 million units.
Despite Jaguar enjoing a sales boost in January, from 757 units in January 2008 to 2,173, most of the other North West manafacturers reflected the depressed national picture.
Year-on-year sales at luxury car maker Bentley – which is based in Crewe – slumped from 132 in Janaury last year to just 53.
Earlier this month is announced 220 job losses and a pay cut for all staff.
Vauxhall, which employs 2,200 people at Ellesmore Port and is the second-best selling brand in the country behind Ford, saw sales in January of 15,600 compared with 21,676 in the same month last year.
Vauxhall, which is owned by troubled US giant General Motors, is set to begin production of a new Astra car at Ellesmere Port later this year. Its loss-making sister company, Swedish brand Saab, filed for bankruptcy protection today.
