Car sales rise 4.0 percent on year in October - SMMT

LONDON (Reuters) - British car sales last month were 4.0 percent higher than a year earlier, taking total new registrations for the year so far 10.2 percent higher than at the same point in 2012, an industry body said on Wednesday.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders also revised up its forecast for car sales this year to 2.25 million from 2.22 million previously - 10 percent more than last year - but said it only expected 1 percent growth in 2014 and 2015.

"Sustained rises have been driven by robust private demand, a trend that has given us the confidence to raise our year-end forecast," said SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes.

"Looking ahead, we anticipate more moderate growth as the market stabilises," he added.

Ford's Fiesta supermini was October's top-selling model, followed by General Motors's Vauxhall similarly sized Corsa, and the mid-sized Focus and Golf models from Ford and Volkswagen respectively.

(Reporting by David Milliken; editing by Stephen Addison)