Belgium: ACEA reports Europe-wide new car sales for February
Thursday, March 13, 2008, AutomotiveWorld.com
ACEA says passenger car registrations in Europe (EU27+EFTA) were 8.7% higher in February than in the same period of 2007, helped by one extra working day in the whole region, as well as a further day in Greece. In total, 1,180,842 new cars were registered, with Western Europe accounting for a 7.7% increase and registrations in the newer EU Member States up 20.5%.
The main driver of growth was the German market which rose 24.8% on the month, with 228,623 cars sold. Of the other major Western European markets, Spain was up 0.7%, while Italy ended the month down 3.9% and the UK market fell 5.4%. Overall, a quarter of Western Europea's markets saw their registrations fall year-on-year. The cumulative January-February figures were 2.7% higher in Western Europe and 3.8% in the EU27 compared with the same period of last year.
Of the newer Member States, and with the exception of Latvia, all countries posted increases. The major markets remain Poland (+28.1%), Romania (+37.1%), Hungary (+7.1%) and the Czech Republic (+15.8%). Poland and Romania registered the most cars in absolute terms, with 28,182 and 21,423 units, respectively. Two months into the year, cumulative figures show a solid 18.6% increase.
As at the end of February, the European market is up 3.8% for the year.
Across the region, market leader Volkswagen Group lifted its share to 19.2% (Feb 2007: 19.1%) with 231,694 sales (212,942) and only Skoda showing a year-on-year fall (-1.2%). Volkswagen AG's sales are now up 4.6% for the first two months.
PSA Peugeot Citroen fared less well with a dip to 13.6% (13.8%) for the month though its sales actually rose 7.1% to 167,311 (156,272) thanks to a 13.5% gain for the Peugeot brand to 93,854 (82,713). Citroen's registrations dipped 0.1% to 73,457 (73,559). Overall, PSA's registrations are up 1.6% for January and February.
Ford Group also sold more cars but lost market share last month. Its percentage of the total market was 10.2% (10.7%) while registrations numbered 113,405 (111,201). Ford (+3.3%) and Volvo (+1.5%) rose on the month but both Land Rover (-11.0%) and Jaguar (-24.9%, and the second worst decline for any brand) suffered double digit falls, the latter selling only 1,072 cars in February. Ford Group's market share is now down 1.1% for the first two months of this year.
General Motors saw its sales rise by a modest 1.2% and its share of the market fall to 9.4% (10.2%) with registrations totalling 110,305 (108,952). Opel-Vauxhall (+1.7%) and Chevrolet (+1.0%) enjoyed small gains but Saab fared less well (-6.5%). GM's brands are down a combined 3.9% for January and February combined.
Renault Group continues to recover, with a year-on-year market share gain to 8.8% in February (8.5%) thanks to rises from not just Dacia (+57.3%) with 16,255 (10,335) but also Renault (+8.4%) with 93,281 registrations (86,030). In February, the Romanian brand outsold Chevrolet, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Mini, Mitsubishi, smart and the combined registrations of the three Chrysler LLC brands. Renault-Dacia is also outperforming the market for the year with a 6.7% rise so far.
Alfa Romeo dragged down Europe's number six, Fiat Group, last month. The brand's main plant recently re-opened after an eight-week re-fit, the main reason for a disastrous 50.7% fall in registrations in February. Overall the Group suffered a fall in market share to 8.7% (8.9%). The Fiat brand's sales, at 87,137 units lagged those of Ford by only 1,638 vehicles thanks to a 12.5% year-on-year rise. Lancia, however, let the side down, with a 9.8% fall to 10,869 vehicles (12,044). For the record, only 6,135 (12,442) Alfas were registered last month. For the first two months of 2008, Fiat Group's sales are up only 0.8%.
Toyota Group's uncharacteristic descent continued last month with market share of only 5.7% (6.4%) and total sales of 66,622 units (68,529). Both Toyota and Lexus had year-on-year volume falls to 64,757 (66,408) and 1,865 (2,121) respectively. The Group shows a 6.9% drop for January and February combined. Should current trends continue, both BMW Group and Daimler will push past Toyota by mid-year.
By contrast, Daimler had a strong February, with its market share rising to 5.0% (4.7%) and strong performances from both Mercedes-Benz (+10.7%) and smart (+59.4%) divisions. The former sold 49,350 (44,567) cars and SUVs, while the small car brand's sales reversed the position of a year ago and outsold Land Rover and Saab, for example, with its 5,250 (3,293) registrations for the month. Daimler's two-monthly market share is now up 10.1% and its total sales are 123,519.
While Daimler sold 150 more vehicles in January-February than BMW Group's 123,369 units (also a 5.0% market share), its rival from Munich overtook it last month with 58,147 registrations versus Daimler's 54,600. BMW Group's sales rise was 26.8% in February, with the BMW brand up 22.9% with 48,147 vehicles sold (39,190) and Mini surging 50.2% to 10,000 (6,656) cars exactly. BMW AG's sales are now up 19.6% for the year.
The star performer in the February market came next. Nissan sold 61.7% more vehicles year-on-year and grabbed a 2.5% (1.7%) share of the overall market. Its Qashqai crossover, in particular, continues to go from strength from strength.
Nissan's numbers for the month totalled 27,710 (17,137) units overall meaning it is now a bigger brand in the region than Volvo and well ahead of former rivals Honda, Suzuki and Hyundai, these three having outsold it in February 2007.
Nissan is also now well ahead of Kia and Suzuki for the year to date. The next two brands it will now be chasing are SEAT (30,920 sales in February) and Skoda (35,445). January and February's combined sales show Nissan is up 54.9% on the year.
Trailing Nissan was Hyundai, with 22,364 (21,630) sales on the month for a 1.8% share of the market, down from 2.0% in February 2007 but up 3.4% year-on-year. Its registrations for the 1 Jan-29 Feb period are down 6.3%.
After large gains throughout 2007, Honda has had a relatively disappointing year with its market share up only 3.4% for the year to date. In February, it sold 19,490 (19,227) vehicles, a gain of 1.4%, while market share remains equal to Hyundai's on 1.8%.
This time last year, Suzuki was ahead of Honda but in February 2008, the positions were reversed, though there wasn't much in it. Sales fell 2.4% on the month to 19,340 (19,814) while the brand now shows a marginal dip of 0.2% for the year to date. Suzuki held a 1.7% (1.8%) market share last month.
Kia held onto 14th place, (just) staying ahead of Mazda with sales of 18,866 (16,966) last month. Its 11.2% year-on-year rise helped give Kia a 12.6% rise for January and February combined.
It was a great month for the brand from Hiroshima, its share of the market rising by 26.1%, giving it a 1.6% (1.5%) tranche thanks to total registrations of 18,784 (14,898). For the year to date, its registrations are up 12.6%, with the new Mazda2 the main reason for the strong performance.
Mitsubishi had a respectable February, selling 10,140 (9,858) units, a gain of 2.9% year-on-year. The brand stayed on 0.9% overall and its sales for the year to date are up 0.2%.
Finally, the three brands of Chrysler LLC. Market share was unchanged year-on-year (0.7%) with volumes up 4.4% to 8,041 from 7,702 units in February 2007. With 17,418 cars, minivans and SUVs registered thus far in 2008, the firm's registrations are up 1.8% on the year.
Published on Thursday, March 13, 2008
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