The European auto market (EU27+EFTA) registered a 4.6% decline for the month of October and 6.9% year-to-date. Despite the negative market trend in Italy, which was down 12.4% year-over-year, Fiat Group achieved a 6.5% European market share, increasing 0.6 percentage points over September 2012. Fiat brand reported improvements in Germany, the UK and Spain. Lancia/Chrysler increased sales in France and the UK. Jeep brand sales were higher in Germany and the UK. The Panda and 500 were once again the top-selling vehicles in the A segment, with a combined 30.3% share for the month of October.
Following sharp declines during the summer period, the European auto market (EU27+EFTA) experienced a 4.6% year-over-year decline in October to just under one million vehicles sold. Year-to-date, new vehicle registrations totaled nearly 10,723,000, representing a 6.9% decline compared to the January-October period in 2011.
Despite the contraction in market demand in Italy – which at 12.4% was higher than the European average – Fiat Group recorded October sales of nearly 65,000 vehicles and increased market share 0.6 percentage points over the prior month of September to 6.5%. Year-to-date, Group sales totaled approximately 689,000 units and market share was 6.4%, in line with September year-to-date.
Results were particularly positive in Germany where sales grew 7.8% (compared to a 0.5% increase for the market) and share was 0.2 percentage points higher at 2.8%. Also in the UK, where the market was up 12.1% year-over-year, Fiat Group registered a 31% increase in October sales with market share improving to 3.4% from 2.9% a year ago. Fiat brand outperformed the market with 48,000 vehicles sold, representing a 0.1 percentage point gain in share to 4.8%. Year-to-date, share was 4.7% with sales totaling nearly half a million units. The brand’s performance was positive in most major markets. In Germany, where the market grew 0.5%, Fiat recorded a 9.4% increase in sales volumes and a 0.2 percentage point increase in share. In the UK, volumes were 39.7% higher (+12.1% for the market) and share was up 0.5 percentage points over the prior year to 2.7%. In Spain, Fiat brand achieved a 7.6% increase in sales compared to October a year ago – in significant contrast to the 21.7% decline for the market – and share was 0.6 percentage points higher at 2.3%.
Although October saw a further sharp contraction in demand in Fiat’s core city car segment, the brand’s models maintained their position at the top of the European A segment. First place honors went to the Panda with more than 17,000 vehicles sold for the month and share at 17.5%. Runner-up was the 500 with sales totaling 12,600 vehicles and share at 12.8%. Combined, the two models held a 30.3% share of the A segment. The Punto, Sedici and Freemont were also among the top 10 in their respective segments.
Lancia/Chrysler recorded October sales of nearly 7,000 vehicles and share in line with the prior month at 0.7%.
Year-to-date, sales totaled nearly 81,500 vehicles and the brand’s share was in line with the same period a year ago at 0.8%. In addition to the positive performance in France (+1.6% compared to -7.8% for the market), the brand also achieved an exceptional result in the UK, where sales were up 288% for October (versus 12.1% for the market) and 268% year-to-date.
Alfa Romeo reported October sales of 7,000 units with market share at 0.7%. Year-to-date, the brand’s sales totaled more than 79,000 vehicles and market share was 0.7%.
Jeep sold more than 2,300 vehicles during the month of October, up 6% year-over-year compared to a decrease for the market overall, with share at 0.2%. Year-to-date, the percentage increase was even higher, with sales up 20.1% over the prior year to more than 23,500 and share at 0.2%.
For the month of October, Jeep achieved increases in Germany (+37%) and the UK, where volumes were up 178% over the prior year and share was double at 0.2%. The Grand Cherokee was once again among the top 10 in its segment and year-to-date sales were 87% higher than the same period in 2011.
For Ferrari and Maserati, the Group’s luxury and performance brands, combined sales totaled 260 units for October and 3,568 units year-to-date.
