END OF YEAR UK - ABARTH - New models mean the brand posts a 45% sales increase in 2016.

Abarth continues to power ahead in terms of UK sales, as today's new car registrations figures reveal. The performance brand posted its best year ever in the UK, with total sales of 3966 – a rise of 45 per cent against 2015 (2743).

The results mean that Abarth was the third fastest-growing car brand in the UK, behind only Infiniti and Jaguar.

In the year that Abarth introduced the sporting 124 spider two-seater and the stunning new 595 range of hatchbacks, the Scorpion brand also achieved its best month ever for sales in this country: in September it sold 805 cars, a 14 per cent rise over the same period the previous year.

Market share of 0.15 per cent for the whole of 2016 was up from 0.10 per cent for 2015, according to figures supplied yesterday (5 January) by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

"Last year was an excellent one for Abarth, taking into account the September sales record and the introduction of new models," says Gerry Southerington, Abarth brand manager. "Our plan is to carry that momentum on.

"The current Abarth range is looking and driving better than ever, and we still have lots to come from this exciting brand. We are looking forward to 2017."

UK SALES 2015 - Abarth continues to push high sales with special editions and great looking models.

Abarth’s remarkable growth in the UK is illustrated in this week’s new car registrations figures, which show big sales increases for both December and 2015 as a whole.

In a strong final month of 2015, the performance car brand sold 177 cars – up 40.5 per cent on the 126 sold in the same period the previous year, according to figures supplied by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). December was the 23^rd consecutive month of growth for Abarth.

For 2015, Abarth’s 2743 sales signified its best-ever year in the UK, finishing 67.0 per cent up against 2014 (1642), and making Abarth one of the top five fastest-growing car brands in the UK.

“We are once again delighted with the progress Abarth is making in the UK market,” says Gerry Southerington, brand manager, Abarth UK. “We spent the whole of 2015 building on Abarth’s success and had our best month ever in September when we sold more than 700 cars.

“We have also been increasing the number of Abarth dealers in the UK, which will further help us to improve the service we can offer to our growing number of customers.”