Vehicle registrations in Britain fell by 44 per cent last month as coronavirus forced would-be buyers to stay at home, while in the USA, sales for double cab utes increased, according to industry figures.

In the UK, the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT) said sales were 254,684 units, making it the weakest March since 1999.

After British Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered a shutdown of much of the economy last month almost all brands in the UK market saw sales drops.

Volkswagen, the top-selling brand, saw its registrations fall 40 per cent, while former number one Ford, now in second place, fell 53 per cent. Third-placed BMW's volume declined by 42 per cent. Number four Mercedes-Benz saw sales drop 49 per cent. In fifth place, Audi fell 42 per cent, according to Automotive News Europe.

But sales of China owned MG cars increased to 2,736 from 1,814 in March 2019. Porsche's volume rose 13 per cent to 1,838 vehicles.

With lockdowns taking place in many European countries earlier than the UK, even more dramatic falls have been reported, with Italy down 85 per cent, France down 72 per cent and Spain down 69 per cent last month.

In the USA, sales of large pickups (double cab utes) rose 3 per cent while new car sales fell by double figures.

General Motors posted its best first-quarter full-size pickup sales in 13 years after rolling out no-interest financing on seven-year loans, and Ram was among just three brands in the entire industry to report an increase, according to Automotive News.

"As some states put strict social distancing orders in place, others were business as usual, and for us, that meant truck sales continued," a GM spokeswoman told Automotive News.

But the coming months could prove more challenging for all vehicle segments, including pickups, as more states restrict commercial activity.

Markets where stay-at-home restrictions are in place "typically show an 80 per cent reduction in sales from the baseline forecast shortly after orders are enacted," said American-based data analytics J.D. Power.