From January to April, Germany (+1.8%) and the UK (+1.4%) barely increased demand in the region, while the rest of the major markets faced contractions ranging from -7.0% in Spain to -17.5% in France and -20.2% in Italy.
In April, 1,017,912 new passenger cars were registered in the EU, or 6.9% fewer than in the same month of 2011. For the first four months of the year, new registrations were 7.5% lower in the EU than a year earlier at 4,332,342 units. This means the EU remains on track for the fifth straight year of sales declines, an economic disaster that has potential negative effects on Fiat, Ford Motor and General Motors in North America.
As usual, the markets were uneven. The UK (+3.3%) and Germany (+2.9%) were the only major countries to post growth, while France contracted by 1.9%. Italy at -18.0% and Spain at -21.7% posted devastating double-digit downturns.
From January to April, Germany (+1.8%) and the UK (+1.4%) barely increased demand in the region, while the rest of the major markets faced contractions ranging from -7.0% in Spain to -17.5% in France and -20.2% in Italy.
Once again, Volkswagen group proved its relative strength in April by capturing almost 25% of the market, a slight gain year-over-year. PSA Group was second at 13% share, also a gain y-o-y. Renault Group followed in third place at 8.6%, off almost a full percentage point y-o-y.
Of interest to GM shareholders, the Opel/Vauxhall regional brand continued its sales decline at 66,160 vehicles for a 6.5% share, while Chevrolet – GM’s self-anointed global brand – increased its sales to 17,574 vehicles for a 1.7% share. This means that together, GM Group sales were ahead of Ford Motor with GM’s 8.2% share or 84,000 vehicles and 7.6% or 77,000 vehicles for Ford.
Fiat Group, the owner of Chrysler, managed a 7.3% share at 74,000 vehicles in spite of the collapse of the Italian government and auto market.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, publisher (kzhw@aol.com), is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
Zino is at home on test tracks, knows his way around U.S. Congressional hearing rooms, auto company headquarters, plant floors, as well as industry research and development labs where the real mobility work is done. He can quote from court decisions, refer to instrumented road tests, analyze financial results, and profile executive personalities and corporate cultures.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
