The car industry's attempt to break last year's sales record looks set for a photofinish after November finally ended a seven-month string of declining registrations.

With UK sales now totalling more than 2.4m in the first 11 months of the year, registrations are running just 682 behind the same period in 2003. December will need to see sales of more than 156,000 if the record is to fall.

"With Christmas coming it remains to be seen if enough people have a new car on their gift list," according to Christopher Macgowan, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

The Ford Focus remained Britain's favourite car last month, with Volkswagen's Golf taking top slot in the diesel market.

There was little cheer in November for hard-pressed Rover and MG. MG saw its UK market share fall 3.75% compared with November last year while Rover was down 1.72%, according to the SMMT's figures.

So far this year MG and Rover have sold 72,627 cars in Britain, with Rover's overall market share down by a fifth and MG down by 14%. According to an MG Rover spokesman the company is expecting to sell about 120,000 vehicles, including exports, this year, down from 144,000 in 2003 - a year in which it lost £77m.

However the group is looking to boost sales in 2005. "We are not satisfied with the current level of sales. We are determined to increase them next year," the spokesman said.

"We have just opened four new dealerships in Berlin. They see us as niche brands, very British, very distinctive."

Around 40% of MG Rover sales are exports, with Europe the main destination.