Western European car sales down

Western Europe new passenger car registrations for October 2003 amounted to 1.179.024 units, representing a decrease of 0.

3 per cent with respect to October 2002. The number of working days in October 2003 was the same as in October 2002. This basically flat result seems to point towards a stabilisation of the market, in line with most economic indicators.

National figures show increases in 7 out of 15 EU countries, ranging from +5.4 per cent in Luxembourg to +33.9 per cent in Finland.

Spain was the best performer among the 5 bigger markets. Decreases ranged from -0.3 per cent in Italy to -11.

6 per cent in the Netherlands and Denmark. Cumulative figures for the first ten months of the year show a closing up of the overall decrease, now -1.3 per cent.

Five countries post positive figures, ranging from +0.3 per cent in the U.K.

to +25 per cent in Finland. All other countries report decreases, ranging from -0.6 per cent in Luxembourg to -20.