According to LMC, the positive result was helped by a greater number of selling days in some markets, and comparison to a weak March 2013 result.

The selling rate, which helps to account for such factors, stood at 11.8 mn units/year; slightly weaker than it was for February. Taking into account the strength of the UK market, LMC’s outlook for 2014 predicts growth of 3.5%.

In a critical month for the UK market, new car registrations climbed 17.7% year-on-year year. Private sales were up 20.8% while combined fleet and business sales grew 14.5%. The UK market continues to be boosted by ‘improving confidence, attractive finance deals and a strongly recovering economy.’

The German market also continued to expand: LMC figures show it was up 5.6% for the opening quarter of the year.

However, it is reported that a significant proportion of registrations in Germany have been as demonstration vehicles (to eventually be sold on to customers, unused, at knock down prices), which LMC claims highlights that even in the largest market in Europe, with an economy in somewhat better shape than its neighbours,significant incentives are still required.

France, Italy and Spain were all up, year‐on year, with the Spanish market continuing to benefit from the government's PIVE scheme.

In Italy, the selling rate climbed a fraction (to 1.35 mn units/year), while France's monthly SAAR stood at 1.8 mn units/year, a result that LMC says indicates that the latter market is continuing to struggle to gain traction.