Passenger car registrations: +9.9% over five months; +16.0% in May

In May 2016, the European passenger car market saw strong growth for the 33rd consecutive month. Registrations during the month grew by 16.0% compared to May 2015, reaching 1,288,220 units. In volume terms, these results come close to May 2008, just before the economic crisis hit the automotive industry. Among the major markets, Italy (+27.3%), France (+22.3%), Spain (+20.9%) and Germany (+11.9%) all recorded strong performances with double-digit percentage gains. The UK market also grew (+2.5%) last month, although at a more modest rate.

From January to May 2016, new passenger car registrations increased by 9.9%, totalling 6.4 million units. All major markets posted growth, contributing to the overall upturn of the EU market. The Italian (+20.5%), Spanish (+12.5%) and French (+10.5%) passenger car markets saw double-digit growth over the period, followed by Germany (+6.8%) and the UK (+4.1%). Looking ahead, it is expected that the market will maintain its positive momentum. For the full year 2016, ACEA recently revised its forecast to 5% growth.