EUROPEAN cars sales during May fell by 5.2% when compared to the same month last year, latest figures show.

Analysis produced by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA), shows that new car registrations in Western Europe during May totalled 1,217,377 units. It suggests the market is still suffering in the aftermath of the war in Iraq.

German new car registrations were up 6.9%, due to the scrapping of the planned tax changes for company cars (Fleet News Europe, May 22), Finland was up 16.3%, Austria up 8.4%, Sweden up 4% and the Netherlands up 1.4%.

All other countries showed decreases ranging from -1.1% in Luxembourg to -35% in Portugal.

Figures for the first five months of the year show an overall decrease of 3.8% in new car sales, from 6,483,525 units in 2002 to 6,239,541 this year.