Boost for Volkswagen as sales rise by a third

Volkswagen has made a good start to the year with a 31 per cent increase in sales during the first quarter.

New car registrations released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders show that Volkswagen sold 25,996 cars during the first three months of this year compared with 19,699 last year. A spokesman from the company says that the Polo and Sharan models have contributed most to the increase.

Meanwhile, Daihatsu sales dropped by 37 per cent for the first three months of the year.

Overall, new car registrations for the first quarter were 1.08 per cent higher – 531,049 compared with 525,364 last year.

Volvo also fared badly during the first three months, with sales slipping by 28 per cent from 11,402 sales last year to 8,197 this year.

Peugeot sales slipped by three per cent, with sales down from 41,116 last year to 40,094 this year.

However, the Peugeot 306 was the eighth best-selling car during the first three months of this year.

The Ford Fiesta, Escort and Mondeo were the top three selling cars during the same period.