Sales of diesel vehicles outweighed those of their petrol counterparts for the first time ever in the UK last month, according to new figures.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) revealed that new diesel car registrations accounted for a record 50.6 per cent share of the market in July.

According to the RAC, the increasingly rapid shift away from petrol models, which are about 15 to 20 per cent less fuel efficient that diesel, is a sign of the economic times.

"People are clearly taking the overall cost of motoring into account when they buy a new car," a spokesman for the breakdown cover group told the Guardian.

"If you just want a car to pop into town then [diesel is] not going to be right for you, but if you use your car regularly and over relatively long distances you get a lot more mileage."

The SMMT statistics revealed that overall car registrations declined by 13.2 per cent in July, representing the first monthly decline for a year.

However, the burgeoning popularity of diesel vehicles, which tend to be about £1,000 more expensive than an equivalent petrol model, is good news for alternative fuel technology.

New generations of hybrid vehicles are likely to be pricey when they are initially commercialised, but motorists' desire for longevity and plenty of miles per gallon may work in their favour.

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Diesel car sales overtake petrol in UK for first time (05/08/10)

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