Opel Aims for 10% of German Auto Market

General Motors Co.'s Adam Opel unit expects to increase its share of the German auto market to 10% from 7.9% now, Reuters reports.

Imelda Labbe, Opel sales chief for Germany, tells the news service that Opel aims to reach that goal in the "mid to long term." She predicts the brand's growth will be aided by its entry in new vehicle segments with such models as the upcoming Mokka SUV and Adam minicar.

Boosting sales in its home market is crucial to turning around money-losing Opel, analysts say. In the first five months of 2012, the brand's sales in Germany fell 10% to 96,400 vehicles while the overall market was flat.

Labbe tells Reuters that Opel's 7.9% market share last month was enhanced by so-called "tactical registrations" sales to the carmaker or its dealers, which inflate sales figures. The vehicles are usually quickly resold as low-mileage used vehicles at heavily discounted prices.

The Center for Automotive Research at the University of Duisburg-Essen says Opel has the highest number of tactical registrations of any major automaker in Germany. Without such sales, CAR estimates the brand's market share at 5.8% this year.