EU car markets all show growth in December

Figures released by the ACEA show that, with a 13.3 per cent increase in new car registrations in December 2013, the EU recorded the largest monthly year-on-year growth since December 2009 (+16.6 per cent). However, in absolute figures, the results were the third lowest to date for a month of December with a total of 906,294 units.

From January to December, the EU market recorded a total of 11,850, 905 new cars. With a contraction of 1.7 per cent in 2013, new car registrations have been on the decline for six consecutive years. In terms of annual volumes, 2013 is the worst year since 1995 (15 EU countries at the time), and the worst ever since ACEA began the series in 2003 with the enlarged EU.

In December, most EU markets posted growth, as did all the major ones, from +1.4 per cent in Italy, to +5.4 per cent in Germany, +9.4 per cent in France, +18.2 per cent in Spain and +23.8 per cent in the UK.

Over twelve months, results were more contrasted across markets. The UK recorded a double-digit growth (+10.8 per cent), while Spain posted a more moderate upturn (+3.3 per cent), and Germany (-4.2 per cent), France (-5.7 per cent) and Italy (-7.1 per cent) saw their demand for new cars decline. Overall, the EU market recorded a total of 11,850, 905 new cars, or 1.7 per cent less than in 2012.