Car Sales Slip 1% in Germany

April new-car sales in Germany dipped 1% year on year to 310,700 units, the country’s federal motor transport authority reports.

KBA says demand for Volkswagen brand vehicles, the market’s largest competitor, shrank 11% to 57,500 units last month.

Results were mixed for Germany’s other top-selling brands. April sales rose for Mercedes-Benz (+2% to 29,600 units) and BMW (+17% to 24,700). But volumes fell for Ford (-1% to 24,300 cars), Audi (-13% to 23,000) and Opel (-5% to 18,900).

Registration through the first four months of 2019 were flat at 1.19 million units, according to KBA.