European car sales plunge

PARIS - Agence France-Presse

European new car sales fell 10.8 percent in September year-over-year.

European sales of new cars plunged by 10.8 percent in September from a year earlier, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) said yesterday.

In September, new passenger car registrations fell for the 12th consecutive month to 1.099 million units with a 17.9 percent retreat in France, a 25.7 drop in Italy and a 36.8 percent fall in Spain. Sales in Britain grew 8.2 percent.

French manufacturers Renault was hit particularly hard in the period, ACEA said, with new sales dropping 29.5 percent. PSA Peugeot Citroen saw sales retreat 8.1 percent and Germany’s Volkswagen dropped 8.0 percent.