NEW car registrations this year look set to be the fourth highest on record after breaking through the two million barrier. Year to date registration figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders showed registrations are down 1.8% to 2,113,033 units (1998: 2,151,056), with November sales down 5.9% to 143,323 (1998: 152,314). Year end registrations should hit 2.2 million units, in line with forecasts, the SMMT says

Fleet registrations were down 3.5% in November at 77,116 (November 1998: 79,954) taking fleet registrations this year to 968,222 (1998: 1,004,090) - 3.6% down year-on-year. However, they will still break the one million mark this year. In the LCV sector, the market has dropped from 210,941 in the first 11 months of last year to 208,355 in the same period this year with November registrations in the sub-1.8 tonne category totalling 7,116 (November 1999: 7,076) and in the 1.8-3.5 tonne category totalling 12,871 (November 1998: 10,669).