European car sales rise 4 pct in February: Association

FRANKFURT-Reuters

European car sales edged up in February, helped by strong gains for French brand Peugeot , solid demand in Germany and France, and double-digit increases in Spain and the Netherlands, industry data showed.

Registrations increased to 1.16 million cars last month in the European Union (EU) and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries, Brussels-based industry body ACEA said on March 15, from 1.11 million a year earlier.

Nearly all major European markets posted growth except for Britain, where sales fell 2.8 percent, the 11th consecutive monthly decline, ACEA figures showed.

In Germany, Europe’s largest market, sales increased 7.4 percent while registrations in France gained 4.3 percent and in Spain were up 13 percent.

Sales of Peugeot branded cars increased by 15.7 percent in February, while rival brands Renault and Fiat saw sales dip 0.9 percent and 8.8 percent respectively.

VW branded cars saw sales increase by 8.1 percent, ACEA figures showed.