Vauxhall sales figures show 22% year-on-year decrease

Vauxhall has slipped to third place in UK car sales rankings.

The latest figures from industry body the SMMT say Vauxhall recorded a 22% year-on-year decrease in new car registrations in the first 11 months of 2017.

The manufacturer, whose plant on North Road, Ellesmere Port is ‘Home to the Astra’, fell to third place being overtaken by Volkswagen.

Between January and November Vauxhall achieved 181,834 sales, a 22.25% decrease on the 233,881 sales in the same period in 2016.

Market share fell from 9.3% to 7.61%.

During November itself Vauxhall sales were 10,343, a 35.26% fall on the same month in 2016.

The company, bought by France’s PSA Group, makers of Peugeot and Citroen, earlier in the year, says the £1.9bn deal accelerated plans to focus on profits.

A spokesman told the Press Association: “Vauxhall is following a strategic plan to remove the brand from unprofitable channels, such as daily rental.

“In the light of the PSA takeover and the need to become profitable across the Opel Group, that plan has been stepped up into 2018.

“Our clear objective is to be profitable.”

In the autumn PSA announced 400 of the 1,800 jobs at the North Road plant were to go hopefully on a voluntary basis with a single production shift to be introduced early this year.

Overall PSA has announced plans to reduce the number of engine types and floor pans across its range.