Double-digit growth in production and exports
May 2014 was a very positive month for the German passenger car market. New registrations rose by 5 per cent to 274,800 units, and year-to-date growth now comes to 3 per cent (1.26 million units).
Incoming orders from Germany climbed by 3 per cent in May, continuing the positive trend for the year: since January orders from domestic customers have increased by 5 per cent. Matthias Wissmann, President of the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), stressed, “May is living up to its reputation as a ‘month of delight’. The customers’ reticence to buy cars seems to be gradually disappearing.
Last month’s exports recorded another large rise. In May a total of 373,400 passenger cars from German plants went to other countries, resulting in a year-on-year increase of 17 per cent. In the first five months of this year German manufacturers exported around 1.90 million passenger cars – an increase of 10 per cent. Orders from abroad also rose slightly: in May they climbed a good 1 per cent, which makes a 6 per cent rise over the year so far.
The manufacturers have responded to the welcome developments on the German market and the healthy state of exports by increasing production again. In May 480,600 passenger cars rolled off the production lines in Germany (+12 per cent), so since January assembly in Germany has expanded by 8 per cent to over 2.45 million units. Wissmann underlined, “The stabilisation on the Western European home market is currently ensuring welcome developments in production and therefore employment in the German automotive industry.”
| May 2014 | Januar – May 2014 | |||||
| Passenger cars *) | Volume | ± in % | Volume | ± in % | ||
| New registrations | 274.800 | 5 | 1.260.700 | 3 | ||
| of which | ||||||
| German makes incl. group makes | 199.000 | 4 | 906.700 | 4 | ||
| Foreign makes | 75.800 | 9 | 353.900 | 2 | ||
| Exports | 373.400 | 17 | 1.901.700 | 10 | ||
| Production | 480.600 | 12 | 2.452.900 | 8 | ||
* Estimate
