A bright start for van sales in 2013

After a beleaguered 2012, 2013 has started much more brightly for van manufacturers. January has seen a 12 per cent rise to 16,049 in registrations of vans up to 3.5 tonnes when compared to the same period last year.

It was not only vans that experienced a bumper month, with sales for pickups rising 34.5 per cent, representing an increase in sales of over a third on last January’s figures.

Industry experts believe the boost in demand is a result of some excellent pick-up and van offers at the moment, with manufacturers such as Mitsubishi slashing up to £2,000 off the price of their most popular models.

It is hoped the increase in January sales could be indicative of a deep-seated revival in the fortunes of many small businesses. Pickups and vans are most commonly purchased by the self employed, with the rise in sales being seen by industry insiders as a barometer for the health of small businesses up and down the country.

Sales for the month totalled 16,049, with Ford once again capturing over a quarter of the total market with 4,178 registrations. Next was Volkswagen, with 2,386 vehicle registrations and a 15 per cent market share. Third and fourth were Vauxhall and Volkswagen, with sales of 1,755 and 1,627 respectively.

The January sales figures for the remaining van manufacturers were as follows: