LONDON -- British new-car registrations fell last month by 34 percent to 214,000, as manufacturing constraints caused by a shortage of computer chips reduced factory output.
The number marked the weakest September for at least 23 years.
September, along with March, is usually a bumper month for registrations because license plates that denote the age of a vehicle are updated and buyers like to show they have the newest model.
However, the global shortage of semiconductors impacted vehicle availability, the industry association SMMT said in a statement on Tuesday.
"This is a desperately disappointing September and further evidence of the ongoing impact of the COVID pandemic on the sector," SMMT Chief Executive Officer Mike Hawes said in the statement. "Despite strong demand for new vehicles over the summer, three successive months have been hit by stalled supply due to reduced semiconductor availability."
With widespread panic-buying at the petrol pumps late last month caused by a shortage of goods vehicle drivers, the SMMT said more than 32,000 battery-powered cars were registered last month, a new record and only slightly fewer that the 5,000 total for all of 2019.
Hawes said a massive investment in public recharging facilities was needed to keep pace with consumer demand for electric cars.
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Toyota No. 1 brand
Toyota was the UK's best-selling brand in September with 16,840 registrations, down 14 percent. Kia was No. 2 with 16,661 sales, up 12 percent. VW was No. 3 with a volume of 16,434, down 40 percent.
Brands that had steep drops included Mercedes-Benz, down 63 percent; Ford, down 62 percent; Volvo, down 55 percent; Mini, down 55 percent; Jaguar, down 54 percent and Land Rover, down 53 percent.
The Tesla Model 3 was the best-selling passenger vehicle in September, while in the first 9 months the latest-generation Vauxhall Corsa was No.1.
New-car sales plunged across Europe as carmakers contend with the worst supply crisis for the industry in decades. Registrations fell 33 percent in Italy, 26 percent in Germany, 20 percent in France and 16 percent in Spain as carmakers contend with what may be the most protracted supply shortage in history.
Volkswagen said Monday it had an order backlog worth about 130,000 Golf cars and over 110,000 Tiguan SUVs as the chip shortage reduces production.
Reuters and Bloomberg contributed to this report
