April Car Sales Jump 10% in Europe

New passenger vehicle registrations across Europe grew 10% to 1.35 million units in April, thanks to strong growth in the region’s smaller markets, trade group ACEA reports. Year-on-year sales through the first four months of 2018 advanced 3% to 5.63 million.

Except for Spain (+12% to 113,800 units) and the U.K. (+10% to 167,900 units), sales gains among Europe’s five largest markets trailed overall market growth. Volumes climbed 8% to 314,100 vehicles in Germany, 9% to 187,400 in France and 7% to 171,400 in Italy.

The biggest increases among second-tier markets occurred in Poland (+13% to 44,700 units), the Netherlands (+18% to 34,300), Sweden (+12% to 34,200) and Portugal (+14% to 21,400).

Most of Europe’s mass-market carmakers posted sales growth of 10% or more in April. Sales leaped 70% to 216,100 units for PSA Group because of its purchase of Opel last August. The company’s core sales advanced 5% to 133,400 units.

Deliveries last month rose at Volkswagen Group (+13% to 346,700 units), Renault (+10% to 143,200) and Ford (+14% to 88,100). Fiat Chrysler posted a 2% increase to 91,300 units.

Group sales rose 6% to 85,300 vehicles at Daimler, thanks to a 61% jump to 13,100 units for the company’s Smart minicar unit. Deliveries fell 1% to 79,100 units at BMW.