Volkswagen, sister brand Audi, China's MG and electrified cars were big winners during the first half in the U.K., where overall sales were up 18 percent during the period.
VW was the country's No. 1-selling brand in H1 after increasing sales 42 percent. It was boosted by a 196 percent sales increase for the T-Roc small SUV, a 65 percent gain for the Tiguan compact SUV and a 6 percent jump for the Golf compact hatchback, according to figures from market researcher Dataforce.
Audi boosted its volume 27 percent to finish No. 3 behind Ford.
Audi's top-sellers were the A3 compact premium car, up 64 percent, helping it rank No. 11 overall during the half, and the A1 small premium car, up 337 percent (see top 10 table, below).