The sale of new cars continues to boom with 208,976 registrations in April, topping April 1989's record of 191,276 and the 19th successive month of growth for the new car market.
According figures from the Society of Motor Manufactur-ers and Traders registrations to private buyers soared 24.5 per cent in April to a total of 108,126 units and so far this year the new car market is up nine per cent at 931,694 new cars registered.
SMMT chief executive Christopher Macgowan said, "After 19 consecutive months of growth, Britain has emerged as the second largest new car market in Europe.
"This is the only country among the big five European markets which has seen growth in 2002 and it comes on top of a huge sales surge last year.
"Although the current rate of growth cannot last forever, with such a strong start to the year, 2002 looks set to be one of the best-performing on record."
The SMMT predicts that a total of 2.4 million new cars will be registered in the UK in 2002.
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