Sales of new cars across Europe or the month of August compared to the same month last year were up by 7.5% to 894,226 units. This is in contrast with July’s sales which were down 1.8% compared to July 2004.

A spokesman at the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association said: ‘These contrasting figures for the two summer months were influenced by the number of working days. July 2005 had one working day less across Europe, while August had two extra working days in Estonia and Hungary, and one in Latvia, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Finland, Denmark, Sweden and the UK.

‘Cumulative figures for the first eight months of the year show a decrease reduced to 0.5% in total Europe, while the EU-15 is back on a positive trend (+0.4%) for the first time in 2005.’

Country		Jan-Aug 05		Jan-Aug 04		Variance
Austria		218,900		218,820		0%
Belgium		351,853		354,005		-0.6%
Denmark		97,248		76,850		+26.5%
Finland		109.287		104,417		+4.7%
France		1,401,138		1,342,010		+4.4%
Germany		2,214,399		2,144,598		+3.3%
Greece		200,636		213,831		-6.2%
Ireland		158,289		141,270		+12%
Italy		1,536,538		1,586,458		-3.1%
Luxembourg		35,003		35,008		0%
Netherlands		344,765		356,441		-3.3%
Portugal		145,012		137,180		+5.7%
Spain		1,069,480		1,045,583		+2.3%
Sweden		174,713		170,035		+2.8%
UK		1,554,828		1,649,193		-5.7%
EU 15		9,612,089		9,575,699		+0.4%
Iceland		12,903		8,417		+53.3%
Norway		73,109		73,463		-0.5%
Switzerland		162,797		186,962		-12.9%
Czech Republic		87,680		84,597		+3.6%
Estonia		13,111		11,383		+15.2%
Hungary		125,269		136,896		-8.5%
Latvia		10,355		7,158		+44.7%
Lithuania		6,872		6,089		+12.9%
Poland		166,886		235,084		-29%
Slovakia		37,717		37,016		+1.9%
Slovenia		42,255		44,709		-5.5%
EU new members		490,145		562,932		-12.9%
European Union		10,102,234		10,138,631		-0.4%
Total Europe		10,351,043		10,407,473		-0.5%