Sales of diesel cars in Britain have overtaken those of petrol for the first time, according to the latest survey of the Society of Motoring Manufactures and Traders (SMMT).
Diesel car sales have increased by 11.8 per cent year-on-year to take a 50.6 per cent market share, mainly boosted by drivers trying to beat the all time high fuel prices.
Petrol car registrations, which benefitted most from the scrappage scheme, have plunged by 13.2 per cent year-on-year.
Alternatively fuelled vehicles such as hybrids also enjoyed record highs this July, rising by 52.6 per cent to take a 1.4 per cent market share.
The SMMT predicts that 2.018 million new car units will be sold in 2010, an increase of 1.2 per cent over 2009.