European New Car Registrations Down 5.5% in 2010

Registrations of new passenger cars throughout the EU27 region of Western and Eastern Europe decreased 5.5 per cent year-on-year during 2010, with a total of 13,360,599 new units registered throughout the year. In releasing the year’s registration statistics, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association commented the depressed 2010 results were “marked by the ending of government fleet renewal schemes in many EU countries.” Registrations in December amounted to 1,009,638 units, 3.2 per cent less than a year earlier.

n December 2010 overall registrations decreased 3.2 per cent. UK registrations however dropped 18.0 per cent year-on-year during the month – hardly surprising given that a year ago the scrappage scheme was in its final months – while demand for new cars declined 23.9 per cent in Spain. The French market remained stable while German new car registrations grew 6.9 per cent in December.