German figures bring down new car sales

THE European new car market started the year with a slight increase in sales, latest figures show.

Total European sales were 1,285,104 units, up 1.1% from 1,271,325 units sold during the same month last year, figures produced by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) show.

A spokesman said: ‘The overall European result was affected by an expected decline in German new registrations (-10.5%) triggered by anticipated purchases ahead of the January 2007 sales tax increase.’

The other four main markets started the year with an increase in sales. In France, they were up by 1.8%, Spain 2.7%, Italy 3.5% and the UK 5.2%. Sales in the new EU member states continued to grow, with the Baltic states leading the way. Sales in Latvia increased by a massive 95.3%, Lithuania’s sales were up by 62.8% and Estonia’s 46.1%.

Sales in the Czech Republic increased by 17%, in Hungary by 6.6% and in Poland by 21.6%. The Polish figure was boosted, the ACEA said, by newly-introduced financial incentives to promote new cars.

Country	Jan 07	Jan 06	Variance



Austria	22,430	23,448	-4.3%



Belgium	55,832	58,128	-3.9%



Denmark	11,264	11,320	-0.5%



Finland	16,893	18,446	-8.4%



France	171,651	168,589	+1.8%



Germany	199,686	223,108	-10.5%



Greece	31,685	29,792	+6.4%



Ireland	46,179	42,817	+7.9%



Italy	248,077	239,649	+3.5%



Luxembourg	3,909	4,167	-6.2%



Netherlands	68,840	69,231	-0.6%



Portugal	14,459	15,631	-7.5%



Spain	116,503	113,410	+2.7%



Sweden	20,599	17,128	+20.3%



UK	165,603	157,363	+5.2%



European Union (EU15)	1,193,610	1,192,227	+0.1%



Iceland	968	1,479	-34.6%



Norway	12,685	7,458	+70.1%



Switzerland	17,714	18,589	-4.7%



EFTA	31,367	27,526	+14.0%



EU15+EFTA	1,224,977	1,219,753	+0.4%



Czech Republic	9,147	7,821	+17.0%



Estonia	2,618	1,792	+46.1%



Hungary	12,952	12,153	+6.6%



Latvia	2,662	1,363	+95.3%



Lithuania	1,478	908	+62.8%



Poland	22,717	18,680	+21.6%



Slovakia	3,501	3,737	-6.3%



Slovenia	5,052	5,118	-1.3%



EU new members	60,127	51,572	+16.6%



European Union*	1,253,737	1,243,799	+0.8%



Total Europe (EU+EFTA)	1,285,104	1,271,325	+1.1%