ZCZC
BCN-04
FRANCE-AUTOMOBILE-ECONOMY
French new car sales up: manufacturers
PARIS, Jan 1, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – The sale of new cars in France increased
nearly three percent last year, but the market for diesels was markedly down,
the French automakers’ association (CCFA) said Tuesday.
A total of 2,173,481 private cars were first registered last year, in line
with automakers’ expectations.
France’s PSA and Renault saw sales jump by 8.32 percent over the previous
year while foreign car sales dipped 3.44 percent.
Renault was up 2.48 percent, boosted by its Dacia low-cost subsidiary whose
sales soared by 19 percent.
PSA with 698,985 new registrations was climbed 13.36 percent. Much of the
increase was due to the takeover of Opel from US giant General Motors.
Toyota sales rose 9.93 percent, Fiat-Chrysler 12.67 percent and Hyundai
16.54 percent.
But the Germans Volkswagen and BMW were down 1.1 and by 3.21 percent
respectively.
The CCFA estimated that the share of diesel cars was down from 47.3 percent
in 2017 to less than 40 percent last year, a result of increasing fuel costs
and possible future traffic restrictions in major cities.
In 2012, when diesel sales were at their peak in France they represented
nearly three out of every four cars sold.
The sale of electric or hybrid cars increased by only six percent, with
petrol-powered engines still very much leading the market.
BSS/AFP/SR/1730 HRS