The firm’s research shows that the selling rate picked up from the relatively disappointing August result, and it added that the market remains on course for a 4.5‐5% improvement for 2014.

LMCA also said that for 2015, the recovery in the region's car market is expected to continue, though, for a sustained recovery over the coming years, the focus for growth must shift away from the likes of the UK and Germany and towards some of the currently depressed markets in the region.

Looking at individual markets, the UK market, which has been a key driver of regional growth this year, continued to improve in year‐on‐year terms, though the rate of growth slowed. Over the next few years, growth in the UK market is forecast to slow markedly, reflecting that it has effectively already fully recovered to pre‐Great Recession levels.

The German market was up 5.2% last month, with the market expected to comfortably exceed the 3 million‐unit level for 2014. LMCA added: ‘While there is some scope for additional expansion of the German car market over the next few years, it is somewhat closer to our medium‐term expectations than some of its southern European neighbours.’

The firm also said that to keep up the growth momentum over the coming years, depressed markets like Spain and Italy will have to continue to pick up. Spain is being supported by the PIVE scheme, which, with the help of an improving economic outlook, is fostering strong growth (from a low base). Like Spain, the Italian market will improve for the full year, though the economic backdrop remains gloomy – government support in the form of a scrappage scheme would help put the market on the right track, though the government being able to justify this is an issue in itself.

The French market picked up in September, though there is little improvement expected for 2014 versus 2013.