UK car demand rises in November - SMMT

LONDON Dec 6 (Reuters) - British new car registrations rose by 11.3 percent on the year in November, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said on Thursday.

There were 149,191 new registrations in November, taking the total for the year so far to 1,921,052 cars, a rise of 5.4 percent, the trade group said.

That makes Britain the second largest new car market in Europe, ahead of France and after Germany, the SMMT said.

"The upward trend has been driven by private retail customers," said SMMT chief executive Paul Everitt.

"The outlook for 2013 remains challenging, but vehicle manufacturers and their dealers will continue to work hard to attract motorists to their showrooms and deliver outstanding value," he added.

The Ford Fiesta has been Britain's top seller so far this year, but its Focus model also saw high demand, becoming the best-selling new car in November.

Demand for small cars, such as the Mini and Supermini, also showed above average growth during the January to November period.