By Neetha Mahadevan
FRANKFURT--The European auto industry continued its recovery in
September, with new car registrations rising 6.4% on the year, as
all major markets contributed to growth, particularly Spain.
New car registrations in the 27-nation bloc, a proxy for actual
sales, rose to 1.24 million vehicles in September. Since the start
of the year, registrations grew 6.1% to 9.57 million, according to
the Association of European Automobile Manufacturers.
Among the markets, Spain shot 26% higher in September, while
France grew 6.3% and the U.K. rose 5.6%. Germany, the EU's biggest
car market, posted a 5.2% increase in the month, while
registrations in Italy rose 3.3% for the same period.
The data show that European car sales continued to recover for
the 13th month in a row after six years of steady decline.
Car makers across Europe and the U.S. reported strong sales,
except BMW Group, which reported a 1% drop in registrations, and
General Motors, which sold 5.9% fewer cars in Europe last month.
Among the winners, Volkswagen grew 6.7% in September, while Renault
sold 11% more cars, making it the fastest-growing European car
maker in the month.
Write to Neetha Mahadevan at Neetha.Mahadevan@wsj.com
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