Europe's Car Sales Plummet 23%

The European auto industry’s switch to the new WLTP emissions protocol last month caused new-car registrations in September to plunge 23% to 1.12 million units, says trade group ACEA.

The regional slump corrects for an abnormal 30% jump in sales in August, when carmakers rushed to unload vehicles that had been certified under the previous NEDC test regime.

All five of Europe’s largest national markets posted double-digit sales declines in September. ACEA reports that deliveries dropped in the U.K. (-21% to 338,800 units), Germany (-31% to 200,100), France (-13% to 148,800), Italy (-25% to 125,000) and Spain (-17% to 69,100).

Volkswagen Group, which has struggled more than other carmakers to complete WLTP certification tests for its models, saw its sales across Europe plummet 48% to 178,200 units. The company has said it doesn’t expect to complete all testing until the end of the year.

ACEA reports sharp declines for most other mass-market sellers too. Volumes last month shrank for PSA (-8% to 201,500 vehicles), Renault (-27% to 96,400), Ford (-14% to 79,400) and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (-31% to 61,900).

BMW and Mercedes-Benz brands saw sales in September fall 7% to 80,500 units and 12% to 80,400 cars and crossover vehicles, respectively.

Deliveries by ACEA’s five Asian brand members—Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Nissan and Toyota—fell 15% to 213,700 units in September.