European car sales increased 5.8 percent in November, assisted by an extra selling day as PSA Group and Toyota posted the greatest gains among the region’s significant automakers, industry data published on Thursday revealed.
Registrations increased to 1.26 million cars last month in the European Union (EU) and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) nations, Brussels-based industry body ACEA stated, from 1.19 million a year previously. Eleven-months sales increased 4 percent to 14.5 million autos.
Sales by France’s PSA increased 83 percent from November 2016 to 200,211 vehicles as registrations of the recently obtained Opel-Vauxhall division were not included in year-earlier records, where as Toyota was up 12 percent at 57,355 cars.
French competitor Renault increased 10 percent to 139,335 vehicles whereas Fiat Chrysler dropped 1 percent to 74,568 cars, weighed down by reductions of over 20 percent each at its Jeep and Alfa Romeo brands.
Volkswagen reported a 5 percent boost to 310,647 cars with premium nameplates Audi and Porsche along with mass-market brands Seat and Skoda all posting growth.
Of Europe’s 5 most significant auto markets, Germany, France and Spain posted double-digit or near to double-digit advances, surpassing an 11 percent plunge in the No. 2 market Britain where weaker customer confidence and uncertainty over the future of diesel have been harming demand.
