September Car Sales Slip 3% in Europe

Registrations of new passenger vehicles across Europe declined to 1.36 million units last month from 1.40 million in September 2016, reports industry trade group ACEA.

Volume shrank for the first time since April, when deliveries shrank 8%. Deliveries through the first nine months of 2017 totaled 11.05 million units, up 3%, according to ACEA.

September sales were mixed among the region’s five largest markets. Gains in France (+1% to 170,600 units), Italy (+8% to 167,000) and Spain (+5% to 83,300) were offset by shrinkage in the U.K. (-9% to 426,200 vehicles) and Germany (-3% to 288,000).

Last month Volkswagen Group and FCA Automobiles saw deliveries dip 1% to 340,900 units and 90,000 units, respectively. Ford sales plunged 13% to 93,300 vehicles.

Renault Group posted a 1% gain to 130,100 vehicles in September. PSA’s volume jumped 70% to 219,400 vehicles, buoyed by the effect of the company’s acquisition of Adam Opel AG from General Motors. When Opel’s 90,900 sales are excluded, PSA’s volume declined 2%.

Group sales by BMW and Daimler slid 2% to 111,700 units and 1% to 100,000 units, respectively, last month. Demand for Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz brand passenger vehicles was flat at 91,500 units, but registrations fell for BMW-brand models (-1% to 86,800) and Audi (-4% to 78,900).

Asian brands saw combined sales in September advance 2% to 314,100 vehicles. Results were led by increases for Toyota (+2% to 68,900 units), Nissan (+3% to 64,100), Hyundai (+2% to 52,500) and Kia (+7% to 47,600).