European sales rise 4% in February, lifted by German, French, Spanish markets

FRANKFURT -- European car sales edged up 4 percent in February, helped by strong gains in Germany, France and Spain and solid demand for mass-market brands including Dacia, Seat and Peugeot, according to data from Brussels-based industry body ACEA.

Registrations increased to 1.16 million cars last month in the European Union and EFTA markets, ACEA said on Thursday, from 1.11 million a year earlier.

Through February, sales rose 5.5 percent to 2.44 million.

Nearly all major European markets posted growth except for the UK, where sales fell 2.8 percent, the eleventh consecutive monthly decline, ACEA figures showed. Registrations in Italy fell 1.4 percent.

In Germany, Europe's largest market, sales increased 7.4 percent while registrations in France gained 4.3 percent and in Spain were up 13 percent.

Sales of Renault Group’s Dacia brand rose 24 percent, while registrations at VW Group’s Seat marque increased 20 percent. Peugeot was also one of the major gainers as volume rose 16 percent.

VW branded cars saw sales increase by 8.1 percent.

Volume at the Renault and Fiat brands fell 0.9 percent and 8.8 percent respectively, ACEA said.

Contact Automotive News