Europe’s struggling car industry ended a dire 18-month run of declining sales in April thanks to booming sales in the UK, figures showed today.
The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association said 1.038 million new cars were registered in the European Union, up 1.7% on April last year.
The UK led the way with 15% growth while sales in Spain also saw a double-digit advance driven by a new government subsidy scheme for car buyers. Growth in Germany also helped outweigh declines in France and Italy, where sales of Peugeot, Citroën and Fiat brands suffered.
Demand for new cars in recession-hit Europe fell to a 17-year low last year as eurozone unemployment reached record highs, credit dried up and households focused on repaying debt.
But the association warned against calling a recovery as it stressed there were two extra sales days in many European markets after Easter holidays fell in March this year instead of April, helping year-on-year comparisons. Without the boost from the UK’s strongest April for five years, Europe’s car market would have slightly contracted last month.
In the first four months of the year, overall volumes have declined 7% compared with the same period a year ago, with some European carmakers braced for the market to shrink by more than 5% this year.
