RECORD fleet sales were achieved in February for the third consecutive month - and the 2.4% year-on-year rise accounts for last month's overall increase in new car sales as retail buyers did not respond to showroom offers.

Fleet sales were 81,753 last month compared with 79,812 in February 1996 and they took a 50.19% share of the total UK market which totalled 162,887 up from 159,013 in February last year. Fleet sales are 3.9% up on the same period last year at 179,988 (1996: 173,194) with Ford, Vauxhall, Rover and Fiat all seeing sales fall year-on-year. A major beneficiary of the fall of the traditional 'big three' was Peugeot which last month overtook Rover in third place in the fleet sales chart and overtook Rover in the year-to-date sales chart.

Ford fleet sales dropped 10.4% to 17,727 last month although it has the best-selling fleet car in the Mondeo. Vauxhall fleet sales fell 10.5% to 14,177. Vauxhall Fleet director Mike Bonner said: 'We reduced rental volumes by 5,500 cars in January and February compared with the same period last year so our fleet sales have actually increased.'

Best-selling fleet manufacturers in February were: Ford 17,727, Vauxhall 14,177, Peugeot 8,484, Rover 8,248, Renault 6,613, Nissan 3,434, Fiat 3,084, Volkswagen 2,777, Citroen 2,548, Toyota 2,330.