Car Sales Tumble in Europe

Registrations of passenger vehicles in France, which edged up 1% in July for the first year-on-year increase in 21 months, dropped 11% to 85,600 units last month, according to carmaker group CCFA.

In the January-August period, deliveries in the country have fallen 10% to 1.17 million units.

August results for France's domestic brands were mixed. Sales slid 17% to 23,500 vehicles at PSA and edged up 2% to 21,900 units at the Renault group.

Volume in France also climbed 10% at Fiat and jumped 16% at General Motors last month. Deliveries plunged 24% at Volkswagen. Mercedes-Benz registrations plummeted 37% to 1,900 units after France banned sales of many of its models because they use a refrigerant banned by the EU.

In Italy, where registrations dipped 2% in July, demand shrank 7% to 53,000 vehicles in August, the country's transport ministry reports. Volume has declined 9% to 893,000 units in the first eight months of 2013.

Deliveries in Spain fell 18% from a year earlier to 38,900 vehicles last month, thus erasing a 15% increase in July, according to trade group ANFAC. The organization predicts sales will improve this month as a government subsidy for new-vehicle purchases takes effect.

In the January-August period, Spain's auto registrations slid 4% to 501,300 units.