The new car market in the UK experienced further growth last month, new figures have revealed.

According to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), new car registrations went up by 7.7 per cent in May 2014 to 194,032. 

This means that the market has experienced growth in 27 successive months. The figure for May was also the highest amount recorded at this time of year in a decade.

Mike Hawes, chief executive of SMMT, commented: "The new car market has now grown in every month since March 2012 - the longest period of growth on record and a reflection of the UK's ever-improving economic conditions."

Figures from the organisation also indicated that during the year to date, the number of registrations has gone up to 1,058,974 units - an increase of 11.6 per cent.

Mr Hawes has attributed the upturn over the last 27 months to a number of factors, including increasing confidence among consumers and the emergence of some "fantastic new products".

For instance, he stated that the latest models offer attractive features including improved fuel economy and highly innovative technologies.

In addition, Mr Hawes noted that dealerships have been attracting buyers by offering competitive deals that are helping to make new cars more affordable.

However, he is not expecting this significant rate of growth in the new car market to hold up during the rest of the year.

This, he said, is because underlying demand is likely to stabilise and therefore lead to growth rates "levelling off" slightly.

Mr Hawes added that estimates from the SMMT suggest the marketplace will see a rise of approximately six per cent throughout the year as a whole.

The previous longest period of consecutive monthly growth in new car registrations in the UK came in the late 1980s, with an upturn taking place in 26 months from May 1987 to June 1989.

This followed a 21-month period of growth in the marketplace between August 1962 and April 1964.