FORD, Vauxhall, Peugeot, Honda and BMW - among the top 10 fleet manufacturers - began the new century buoyantly with all reporting year-on-year sales increases of more than 23%. Ford was the number one fleet manufacturer in January with a 23.5% rise in sales to 23,295 (1999: 18,855) and in the Focus it had the best-selling fleet car.

Vauxhall (32.6% up year-on-year), Peugeot (30.5%), Honda (44.1%) and BMW (25.1%) all saw dramatic year-on-year rises. Vans also started the year buoyantly with sales of light vans and panel vans up year-on-year. Sales of LCVs under 1.8 tonnes increased 1.7% last month from 5,981 in January 199. Meanwhile, the 1,801-3,500kg sector saw sales increase 3.7% to 10,127 from 9,765 a year ago.

Diesel fleet sales, after suffering a significant decline in recent years and particularly in 1999, recovered lost ground with a slight rise year-on-year last month. Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders figures show diesel sales totalled 25,062 last month - 4.4% down on January 1999 (26,223) - but fleet diesel sales increased 0.5% to 15,611 (January 1999: 15,529). Ford's diesel sales almost doubled year-on-year to take the manufacturer to second place, largely on the strength of Focus diesel sales.

Top 10 best-selling fleet diesel manufacturers in January were: Peugeot 3,850, Ford 3,520, Vauxhall 2,580, Volkswagen 1,632, Renault 1,051, Citroen 546, Mercedes-Benz 373, Rover 352, Audi 339, BMW 262. Top 10 best-selling fleet cars in January were: Peugeot 406 1,735, Ford Focus 1,476, Peugeot 306 1,392, Vauxhall Astra 1,055, Vauxhall Vectra 852, Ford Mondeo 839, Volkswagen Passat 727, Peugeot 206 588, Ford Escort 543, Volkswagen Golf 533.