VDA: Double-digit growth in Western Europe

International passenger car markets: China expands by almost one quarter in November

The Chinese passenger car market surprised even the experts in November with expansion reaching almost one quarter. Western Europe also proved to be very dynamic and recorded double-digit growth. A modest rise was seen in the US, albeit at a very high level. Russia and Brazil, by contrast, continued to contract.

In Western Europe new passenger car registrations recorded a year-on-year increase of nearly 13 percent last month to a good 1 million new cars. That was the best November result since 2009. Demand also showed double-digit growth in Spain (+25 percent), Italy (+23 percent) and France (+11 percent). The German passenger car market grew by 9 percent, while the already high sales level in the United Kingdom climbed by nearly 4 percent.

Many smaller Western European markets also enjoyed a strong growth dynamic last month. Sales rose by more than one quarter in the Netherlands (+26 percent), and by more than one fifth in Belgium (+22 percent), Ireland (+23 percent) and Sweden (+21 percent). Portugal added 14 percent.

Since January 2015, a good 12.1 million new passenger cars have been registered on the Western European market (+8 percent).

New registrations of passenger cars in the new EU Member States increased by almost 24 percent in November, reaching 86,800 new cars. Apart from Estonia (-21 percent) all the markets show double-digit growth rates. In the first eleven months of this year a total of 909,000 passenger cars were newly registered in the new EU countries (+11 percent).

The US market for light vehicles (passenger cars and light trucks) totaled a little over 1.3 million units in November, which was slightly up on the same month last year (+1 percent) and the strongest November sales result since 2001. However, it was due partly to the positive effect of the Thanksgiving weekend. Whereas light trucks showed another keen rise of 9 percent last month (783,700 units), passenger cars lost the same percentage (527,100 units). This year so far, nearly 15.8 million light vehicles have been sold in the US (+5 percent). Light truck sales have gained 12 percent to reach 8.9 million units, while passenger car sales have lost 2 percent (6.9 million units).

In China the passenger car market recorded growth in double figures for the second time in succession. In November 2.1 million new vehicles were sold – almost 25 percent up on the same month last year. This high monthly result is probably due mostly to the reduction in tax on new cars with smaller engines (up to 1.6 l engine capacity) in force since October. The year-to-date result comes to around 17.7 million units, close to 8 percent up on last year.

In Japan November registrations of new passenger cars decreased by nearly 8 percent to 314,100 units. This year the market has lost almost 10 percent of its volume, falling to just over 3.9 million new cars.

The passenger car market in India grew by a good 11 percent in November to 236,700 units. From January to November vehicle sales exceeded 2.5 million units, which was almost 8 percent up on last year’s figure.

In November the Russian light vehicle market again contracted severely. At 131,600 vehicles, the sales volume lost nearly 43 percent compared with the same month last year. Since January sales of new light vehicles have fallen to 1.5 million units (-35 percent).

The Brazilian light vehicle market is also continuing its decline. New registrations slumped by over 32 percent in November to 189,600 units. So far this year, the Brazilian market has contracted strongly with a cumulative total of nearly 2.3 million vehicles (-24 percent).

New Passenger Car Registration/Sales

* without Malta
** Light Vehicles