New-car sales jumped 33.1% and CV deliveries climbed 29.9% in the month, compared with like-2011, while year-to-date car and CV results were up 22% and 9.2%, respectively.
The industry says keeping vehicles longer could be a false economy as the average new car’s 20% advantage in efficiency over a typical 7-year-old model saves about £400 each year.
U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk says the U.S. challenge is against China’s slapping of duties on more than $3 billion worth of U.S.-produced cars and SUVs with an engine capacity of 2.5L or larger.
The auto maker says the threshold at which the tax is levied doesn’t consider inflation and isn’t “set at a level that most people would consider a luxury car.”