Car Sales Rise 3% in Germany, Plunge 22% in Spain

Automakers sold 274,100 passenger vehicles in Germany in April compared with 266,300 units in the same month of 2011, according to KBA, the country's motor transport authority.

KBA says car registrations increased 2% to 1.1 million units in the first four months of 2012.

Separately, new-car sales in Spain last month plummeted 22% to 56,300 units, the lowest monthly total since 1993, according to the country's carmaker group ANFAC.