ACEA MEMBERS: Passenger car registrations +0.7% first quarter of 2018; ‐5.3% in March
In March 2018 the EU passenger car market declined (-5.3%) for the first time this year, with registrations totalling 1,792,599 new cars – the first March drop since 2014.
However, it must be noted that last year’s results (with the best March figures on record) constituted a high basis of comparison. Momentum is starting to slow in some markets and especially in the United Kingdom, where sales dropped by 15.7% in March. New car demand also declined in Italy (‐5.8%) and Germany (‐3.4%), but growth was posted in France (2.2%) and Spain (2.1%).
Auto industry cautiously optimistic for 2015
ACEA expects growth to continue in 2015, but at a considerably slower pace, with a year-on-year forecast in the region of 2%. In terms of units, this would mean edging closer to the 13 million units mark.