Vertu Motors New Car Sales Rise 7% Amid Used Vehicle Decline

The US new-vehicle market is showing modest growth in June 2025, with J.D. Power forecasting a 2.5% year-on-year increase to approximately 1.25 million units despite fewer selling days, and retail sales rising by 6.7%. Meanwhile, UK car retail group Vertu Motors reported a 7% year-on-year increase in new car sales for the three months ending in May 2025, outperforming the broader UK market's 5.6% growth and gaining market share. However, Vertu experienced declines in used vehicle sales by 3.8% due to tight supply and subdued consumer demand, alongside a 23.2% drop in Motability sales, attributed to a large number of renewals in the previous year. Commercial and fleet sales grew by 3%, and high-margin aftersales services increased by 4.1%, contributing to adjusted profit before tax exceeding prior levels. Vertu's CEO Robert Forrester highlighted the challenges posed by a tough macroeconomic environment and the UK Government's Zero Emission Vehicle mandate, which is accelerating electric vehicle adoption and impacting the new car market. Despite these headwinds, Vertu remains cautiously optimistic about its full-year outlook, expecting results in line with market expectations.