Car Sales Rise 2% in Europe

Registrations of new passenger vehicles across Europe grew to 1.08 million units last month compared with 1.06 million units in April 2012, according to Brussels-based carmaker group ACEA.

April marked the region's first year-on-year increase in car sales in 19 months. The ACEA says much of the gain was the result of two more selling days last month than a year earlier.

April deliveries climbed in Germany (+4% to 284,400 vehicles), the U.K. (+15% to 163,400 units) and Spain (+11% to 62,300 units). But volume fell in France (-5% to 157,700 units) and Italy (-11% to 116,200 units).

Group sales in Europe rose 10% to 286,900 vehicles at Volkswagen Group last month and 5% to 94,300 units at Renault. Demand dropped at PSA (-10% to 118,900 vehicles), General Motors (-4% to 81,900 units), Ford (-1% to 78,200 units) and Fiat Group (-10% to 68,200 units).

In the January-April period, registrations across Europe slid 7% to 4.18 million vehicles.