Dacia market share in the EU reached 3.1 percent compared to 2.5 percent at the beginning of last year, the increase started in 2006 when the market share was only 0.2 percent. Mazda (32 percent), Lexus (28 percent) and Suzuki (20 percent) were among the brands with the highest increases.
All major markets increased, except for France, and all volume markets advanced as well. The European car market reports consequently the sixth consecutive month of increase, according to Bloomberg after five years of decrease which lowered the sales to the bottommost level of the past twenty years, reports Mediafax. Thus, registrations of new cars in the EU went up in February to 861,000 units compared to 797,500 units in the same month of last year, according to ACEA data. Over the first couple of months of this year, the registrations of new cars went up by 6.6 percent from 1.684 million to 1.796 million units.
Renault reported a 4 percent increase so that the sales of the French group, which is the third European carmaker, advanced in February by 11.7 percent to 86,500 units. Volkswagen, the second European carmaker, sold almost 212,000 cars in the EU in February, 8 percent higher thanks to the Audi, Skoda and Seat brands. The European Commission forecasts that the economy in the Euro Area will go up by 1.2 percent this year, continuing its modest growth started last year, after 18 months of recession. PSA Peugeot Citroen, the second largest European carmaker, reported a 3.6 percent increase in February to 104,100 cars. The sales of Peugeot brand went up by 6.8 percent, whereas Citroen stood still.
In Germany, the major economy in the EU, the new cars registrations went up in February by 4.3 percent to 209,300 units, whereas France witnessed a 1.4 percent decline to 141,300 cars. Sales in Italy went up by 8.6 percent to 118,300 units, and Spain reported a 17.8 percent increase to 68,000 cars, thanks to the car scrappage scheme. In the UK, the sales reported a 3 percent increase to 68,700 cars.
The European car market is also supported by the better crediting conditions. The European Central Bank said they are going to maintain their monetary policy interest rate at the current level or even lower for a long time. The key interest of the European Central Bank is at the all-time minimum value of 0.25 percent.
The vehicle market reported a 18.6 percent over the first two months, compared to the similar period of last year, to 10,920 units, and the cars reported a similar advance of 18.8 percent to 8,963 units, indicate data from the Association of Car Producers and Importers (APIA). “… The sales on the Romanian market are still supported by the purchases made by companies (86 percent of the total volume over these two months of 2014). On the other hand, an aspect worth mentioning is the fact that the registration of used cars went down by 10.5 percent compared to the first two months of 2013.
Nevertheless, the amount (30,600 units in the first two months of 2014) is about 3.5 percent higher than that of the new cars,” reads a release from the association. Based on models, Dacia Duster is the best selling model of February, and also over the first two months, followed by Logan, Sandero, Skoda Octavia and Volkswagen Golf. In February, 38,275 units were exported (66 percent more than in January), and exports went up to 61,292 units over the first two months, 5.6 percent higher compared to the similar period of 2013. In 2013, the sales of new cars reported the sixth consecutive year of decrease, reaching the level 13 years ago, namely 82,000 units, after a 6.3 percent decline.
The car market started the year with positive figures, reporting a 15.5 percent increase in January on a year-for-year basis. Compared to January, the vehicle market went up in February by 27.6 percent and the cars reported a 32.5 percent increase. (source: nineoclock.ro)
