Motoring News

Good sales results achieved by Rolls Royce, Chevrolet and Renault show that consumers still have an appetite for buying cars – good news for the used car market.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has just announced that it sold 1212 cars in 2008, a 20 per cent increase on 2007’s figure.

The four-door Phantom saloon and Extended Wheelbase models accounted for over half of all sales.

The USA enjoyed a 38 per cent share of the global Rolls Royce sales market, with the UK in second place.

Meanwhile, Chevrolet has just revealed that 2008 was its best ever sales year. It sold 18,372 new cars and saw its market share in the UK rise from 0.76 per cent in 2007 to 0.86 per cent in 2008.

This success is partly down to the company introducing the three and five-door Aveo supermini replacing the successful Kalos which is sure to be a sales winner for used Chevrolet dealers.

Chevrolet lovers are now awaiting the debut of the all-new Cruze mid-size saloon with much anticipation.

Renault is also celebrating good end of year figures for 2008. The company has had much success in pursuing a strategy of reducing sales to short-team rental companies, a policy which is boosting residual values for used vehicles.

In Europe, Renault boosted its share of the passenger car market by one per cent, no mean feat considering the economic downturn.

Ten new models were launched by the manufacturer in 2008.

Written by James Christie