Western European new-car sales fell 8.4% year-on-year (YoY) in June, according to data released by LMC Automotive. The annualised selling rate also slipped back to 14.2m units a year in June, from 14.4m units a year logged in May.
- In Germany, sales decreased 4.7%
- The UK market was down 4.9%
- French car sales fell 8.4%
- Italian registrations were down by 2.1%
- The Spanish market fell 8.3%
For the year to date (YTD), Western European sales are down 3.5% YoY, although the selling rate has averaged a healthy 14.4m units a year.
LMC analyst Jonathon Poskitt noted that growth will be difficult to find in July and August. “These months saw inflated sales in 2018 due to purchases being brought forward ahead of WLTP implementation,” he said. “Later in the year, the monthly comparisons with 2018 should be back into positive territory. However, it appears that it will be a case of sales playing catch-up to reach a very similar level to 2018, with substantial growth likely to prove elusive this year.”
LMC forecasts the West European car market to reach 14.22m units in 2019, virtually flat on last year’s total (14.19m units).
West European car sales by country, June 2019
