Volvo Car Leasing enjoyed a record October with business up by more than two thirds compared to the same time last year.

The number of contracts signed in October this year was 68% up on the same month in 2010. Whilst the majority of its business, 66%, came from contract hire, an increasing proportion, 28%, has been fuelled by the private motorists opting for personal contract hire.

The V60, S60 and XC60 proved to be the most popular vehicles which were leased in October with the V60 D3 R Design being the out and out favourite.

The amount of business was the result of a joint effort from the 130-strong Volvo dealer network although a handful of sole dealers and dealer groups accounted for around 40% of the month's business.

Mill Garages, which operates six dealerships in the North East, accounted for about 8% of the total; Harratts which runs four businesses in Yorkshire were responsible for selling around 10% of the month's contracts; the four-strong Helston Garages group consisting of Kastners in Exeter and Barnstaple, Yeovil Motor Company and Taunton Motor Company contributed 7%; whilst impressively two single-sites PV Dobson in Kendal, Cumbria, and Cecil and Larter in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, delivered 7% and 8% of the total respectively.