Auto Sales Slide 5% in Europe

Registrations of new passenger vehicles across Europe fell to 998,900 units last month from 1.05 million units in October 2011, according to automaker group ACEA.

October sales climbed 12% from a year earlier to 151,300 vehicles in the U.K. and edged up less than 1% to 259,500 units in Germany. Demand dropped in France (-8% to 162,300 vehicles), Italy (-12% to 116,900 units) and Spain (-22% to 44,900 units).

An 11% jump in Audi sales boosted the Volkswagen group to a 2% gain last month. Volume declined year on year at PSA (-5%), Renault (21%), General Motors (-14%), Ford (-8%) and Fiat (-6%).

In the January-October period, car sales dropped 7% to 10.72 million vehicles, ACEA reports.