ACEA: April new car registrations rose 9.6% in EU27 + EFTA to 1.4

In April, most European countries benefited from 2-3 additional working days compared with last year, which helped most national markets to post growth in new car registrations despite the US financial crisis and further increases in fuel prices. The ACEA reported that car demand in the EU27+EFTA rose by 9.6% compared with last year. In total, 1,420,944 vehicles were registered over the month. Expressed in cumulative figures, European markets were stable from January to April (+1.0%).
 
Registrations in Western Europe were up 9.6% in April and stable (+0.1%) over the first four months of the year. With 198,558 units, France recorded 15% higher registrations thanks to two more business days. Adjusted for working days, the rise was 4.6%, in line with the 4.8% growth observed from January to April compared with the same period last year. The German market is recovering from a weak performance in 2007, posting a 20% increase compared to the same month last year. Registrations of 317,960 new cars were supported by an improving labour market and recovering consumer confidence.
 
In the first four months of the year, new registrations of cars rose by 7.3% to 1,053,874 units. In Italy, the downturn trendin new-car demand continued with a decrease of 2.9% compared to 2007 volumes. Adjusted for working days, the deceleration was 12%. However, Italy remains the second largest market in Europe and its April results were in line with the monthly average of the last five years. Year-to-date figures show an 8.2% contraction of the market, or 867,207 new cars registered in the first four months of the year.
 
The Spanish market posted growth of 1.5% in April. Forecasts, however, have remained unchanged, predicting an overall fall from 7% to 9% in the number of new registrations in 2008. From January to April, 471,303 cars were registered, 11.5% fewer than for the same period last year.
 
The new EU member states recorded a similar rise in April (+11.3%) as noted in Western Europe but also an increase (+13.1%) in demand over the first four months of the year. Poland improved its April figure by 13.8% and its cumulative results by 15.8%, being the only national market among the new EU member states to have registered over 100,000 vehicles from January to April. It is closely followed by Romania with 96,971 new cars.
 
Some manufacturers posted significantly increased registrations compared to the same period a year earlier. Smart was up 55.9%, Dacia up 35.4%, BMW up 26.0%, Nissan up 19.5%, Mercedes up 19.3%, Volkswagen up 12.6%, and Ford up 10.4%
 
Shares in the year-to-date market mirrored the increases seen in April, with Volkswagen up 3.2%, Fiat up 5.2%, Mercedes up 5.5%, and BMW up 11.7%.
 
The Volkswagen Golf reclaimed its place as Europe¡¯s top-selling new car in April with 45,785 units registered, ahead of the Peugeot 207 with 42,207 units, the Renault Clio (34,286 units), Opel/Vauxhall Corsa (34,225 units), Ford Focus (34,076 units), Opel/Vauxhall Astra (32,687 units), Fiat Punto (30,307 units), Ford Fiesta (26,902 units), VW Polo (26,205 units), and the VW Passat (25,078). In the year to date, the Golf continued to outsell all other models in Europe (up 23.3% YtD), followed by the 207 (up 7.3% YtD), Focus, Corsa, Astra, Clio, Fiesta, Punto, Polo (up 3.6% YtD) and Passat.
 
(www.jato.com, www.acea.be)
From: auto industry.uk/news

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