U.K. Car Sales Rise 6%

Registrations of new passenger vehicles in the U.K. climbed to 394,800 units last month from 372,800 units in March 2012, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

March marked the 13th consecutive month of year-on-year gains in the country's car sales. SMMT attributes last month's solid increase to returning consumer confidence.

U.K. demand for commercial vehicle grew 8% to 48,700 units last month, thanks to a 12% jump in van registrations to 43,700 units. But truck volume slid 15% to 5,000 units. Bus sales dropped 23% to 1,000 units.

In the January-March period, car registrations in the country rose 7% from a year earlier to 605,200 units. Demand climbed 7% to 78,900 units for commercial vehicles: a 12% gain for vans and 17% decline for trucks. Bus volume fell 17% to 1,900 units.

SMMT says it will review its full-year sales forecast because of the strong first quarter. The group has predicted that U.K. car registrations will grow less than 1% to 2.06 million units in 2013.