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West European car market up 4.2% in November

Issued at 2019-12-16



West European new car sales grew by 4.2% year-on-year (YoY) in November according to data released by LMC Automotive.

LMC said the result is one of relative improvement — against November 2018's WLTP-related weakness — rather than a story of strong underlying demand in November 2019.

Gradual normalisation from a weak September 2019 SAAR continues, with this year having seen more muted WLTP-distortions than 2018. The West European selling rate reached 14.0m units a year in November, moving upwards from 13.5m units a year in October and 13.1m units a year in September.

The German annualised sales rate rose to 3.5m units a year in November, while YoY growth in sales remained strong at 9.7%. However, UK sales were down 1.3% YoY last month — LMC noted that with the forthcoming Brexit-dominated election, the country continues to be stuck in a grip of uncertainty.

In Spain, sales rose modestly at 2.3% YoY, with the annualised selling rate remaining in line with October's 1.2m units a units a year. Similarly, Italy saw a selling rate in line with October at 1.9m units a year, paired with YoY growth of 2.2% in sales. French new registrations saw little growth YoY in November, at just 0.7%, though the selling rate remains solid at 2.2m units a year.

Regionally, year-to-date (YTD) sales were marginally down from 2018, though by the close of the year LMC said it expects to see a similar outturn to 2018 (around 14.2m units). The forecasters say they are a 'little more cautious on 2020', with overall volumes expected to be lower than this year at 14.06m units. LMC noted that economic challenges remain, particularly in light of the external trade environment and Brexit uncertainty, and 'there is a risk that OEMs may have to take action that could have an impact on total market volumes because of forthcoming CO2 targets.'

West European car sales by country, November 2019

  November 2019 November 2018 %ch YTD 19 YTD 18 %ch
W Europe 1,093,338 1,048,980 4.2 13,159,358 13,252,931 -0.7
Austria 23,343 23,660 -1.3 322,728 322,728 -4.7
Belgium 34,574 33,819 2.2 516,542 526,435 -1.9
Denmark 18,114 17,928 1.0 210,107 204,591 2.7
Finland 8,680 8,667 0.1 105,963 114,338 -7.3
France 172,735 171,611 0.7 2,003,107 2,008,133 -0.3
Germany 299,127 272,674 9.7 3,323,878 3,198,720 3.9
Greece 9,238 7,063 30.7 106,400 96,881 9.9
Ireland 769 645 19.2 116,953 125,565 -6.9
Italy 150,587 147,345 2.2 1,774,736 1,786,170 -0.6
Lux. 3,952 3,529 12.0 51,881 50,192 3.4
Netherlands 39,514 34,608 14.2 404,882 423,730 -4.4
Norway 11,796 12,313 -4.2 132,892 135,468 -1.9
Portugal 16,400 15,500 5.8 205,804 211,939 -2.9
Spain 93,158 91,063 2.3 1,152,518 1,222,147 -5.7
Sweden 30,502 25,813 18.2 307,368 330,729 -7.1
Switzerland 24,228 24,103 0.5 276,641 272,177 1.6
UK 156,621 158,639 -1.3 2,162,143 2,223,058 -2.7

Source: LMC Automotive


Source: Just Auto



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