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May 2009: UK new car sales and trends analysis

By Peter Adams Motor Industry 04 June 2009 12:00 The scrappage scheme was supposed to give the UK car market a massive boost, but latest figures out today show new car registrations are still down by more than a quarter. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reports that new car registrations fell 24.8% in May 2009 to 134,858 units. However, this fall marks an improvement on earlier months of the year.

Concept Car of the Week: Lincoln Sentinel (1996)

After a decade of the rounded forms of bio-design, car manufacturers worldwide wondered what the next big trend would be. Ford's answer appeared in 1995 with the breathtaking GT90 that inaugurated the experimental 'Edge Design' era, defined by its use of precise edges, tight lines and sharp graphics. The following year, Lincoln unveiled an evolution of the same theme, this time on a luxurious flagship concept rather than an open supercar.

Businessman opens private toll road

THE BUSINESSMAN behind a private toll road by-passing a closed commuter route is confident he will not have to sell his home if the venture fails. Mike Watts, 62, has until Christmas to recoup his £300,000 investment or face losing his house. He is charging motorists £2 per journey to use his bypass made from rolled chippings and avoid the closed section of the A431 between Bath and Bristol.