European Auto Industry Posts Double-Digit Growth in December

The European Automobile Manufactures’ Association has released its monthly EU27 sales report and for the fourth straight month sales have increased. It is a good indicator that the worst of the recession may be over. There were 906,294 cars sold in Europe in December 2013, up 13% from December 2012.

It was the biggest month-to-month sales gain since December 2009. The ACEA still says that despite the growth December 2013 was the third lowest December sales it has ever recorded.

The major EU markets all posted gains in December. Italy was up 1.4%; Germany was up 5.4%; France saw a 9.4% rise; Spain rose by 18.2%, and the UK was up 23.8%.

European automakers also saw big gains in sales in December. RenaultRenaultFrance, 1898 > present189 models
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was up 29%, and VolkswagenVolkswagenGermany, 1938 > present98 models
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Group grew 22%. Even chronic underperformers PSA PeugeotPeugeotFrance, 1882 > present120 models
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-CitroënCitroënFrance, 1919 > present94 models
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and FiatFiatItaly, 1899 > present159 models
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were up 9% and 2% respectively.

There were 11,850,905 cars sold in the EU27 in the calendar year 2013, a 1.7% reduction over 2012, and it was the sixth consecutive year of falling sales. It is the worst sales ever since the ACEA began surveying the EU27 in 2003.

The UK and Spain were the only major EU market to post growth in the calendar year with 10.8% and 3.3% growth respectively. German sales fell 4.2%; French sales dropped 5.7%, and sales in Italy fell 7.1%.

The expectation for 2014 is that the EU market will grow in the single digits.

Source: Auto News Europe