Consumer confidence key to car sales in 2009

‘The full-year new car sales figures for 2008 clearly show that demand was strong until consumer confidence dropped sharply during the final few months of the year as a result of worsening economic conditions. This highlights how important it is for Government to enact measures to help boost confidence, ’ said Sue Robinson, director of the RMI’s National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA), commenting on 2008’s new car sales figures, released today (Wednesday 7 January 2009).

2,131,795 units were sold in 2008, 11.3 per cent down on 2007.

New car registrations for December fell 21.2 per cent compared to the same month in 2007, a total of 108,691 units.

Robinson adds: ‘Consumers want assurance from the Government that jobs are secure, that disposable income will not decline further, that general economic conditions will start to improve, and that credit will become more generally available. Once this happens consumers will return to normal buying patterns.’