Things may not be as they seem

I feel a few words are required in response to your news story concerning the SMMT new car re gistration figures: “Boost for Volkswagen as sales rise by a third” (MW April 12).

The SMMT figures you have quoted only take into account passenger vehicle registrations, and while it is true that Daihatsu’s passenger vehicle sales are down by 37 per cent, our commercial vehicle sales (which include the Hijet MPV) have significantly increased over last year.

The result is that our total sales figures are down only 4.29 per cent which is obviously a lot less drastic than the story suggests.

Lack of 1996 products due to revisions to our 4×4 range (the mainstay of our passenger vehicles sales), and the reduction in stock of old-model Charade in the run up to the relaunch in March, has certainly contributed to our lack of sales in the first quarter.

With our attentions currently focused on the commercial vehicle sector, and with new product now arriving to satisfy orders, we are confident of a significant upturn in the next few months.

David Morgan

Press and PR department

Daihatsu

Dover

Kent