Car Sales Rise in Germany and Spain But Dip in Italy

Registrations of new passenger vehicles in Germany increased 2% year on year to 253,100 units in July, according to federal auto bureau KBA.

The agency credits the gain to heavy discounting and one more selling day than in July 2012. Car sales in Germany dropped 7% to 1.76 million units in the January-July period.

In Spain, car registrations soared 15% to 75,000 units in July, automaker group ANFAC reports. It attributes the advance to a government scrappage scheme that boosted sales to individuals. Fleet sales declined.

Madrid declared in late July that it would provide an additional €70 million to extend the program. The country's passenger vehicle sales dipped 2% to 461,400 units in the first seven months of 2013.

Italy's car deliveries fell 2% to 107,500 units last month. July marked the smallest year-on-year decline since April 2011, according to the country's transport ministry.