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Germany’s Car Market Shrinks 3%
New-car registrations in Germany shrank 3% to 347,400 units in March, according to KBA, the country’s federal motor authority.
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New-car registrations in Germany shrank 3% to 347,400 units in March, according to KBA, the country’s federal motor authority.
Demand for diesels last month plummeted 25% year on year. Sales by the market’s major luxury brands fell, led by Mercedes-Benz (-5% to 29,600 units), BMW (-5% to 26,300 units) and Audi (-13% to 25,700).
Mass-market brands posting gains in March included Volkswagen (+3% to 64,500 vehicles), Skoda (+4% to 19,600), Hyundai (+11% to 11,700) and SEAT (+5% to 11,500).
But sales last month declined for the market’s other top sellers, comprising Ford (-1% to 26,900 vehicles), Opel (-23% to 21,100) and Renault (-16% to 12,800).
KBA says that in spite of March’s declines, overall car sales in Germany in January-March rose 4% to 878,600 units compared with the same period in 2017.
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