West European car registrations fell 15.5% year‐on‐year (YoY) in August 2020, though this compares to a WLTP‐inflated high base in August 2019. The selling rate maintained its upward trajectory in recent months, climbing to 15.1 mn units/year, as the market continues to recover from the effects of COVID‐19 coronavirus, with the positive effect of incentive measures and reopening economies set against a backdrop of the still‐present threat of future containment measures.
Italy experienced an exceptionally strong selling rate of 2.3 mn units/year with the help of government incentives. In Germany, meanwhile, sales fell by 20.0% YoY, although the selling rate remained a solid 3.6 mn units/year. France and Spanish markets both saw a double‐digit percentage fall YoY, though selling rates were more encouraging at 2.2 mn units/year and 1.3 mn units/year respectively. In the UK, sales fell 5.8% YoY, coupled with a strong 2.9 mn units/year monthly selling rate.
The region continues to steadily recover from the April nadir, although monthly registrations are still well down across the region. In year‐to‐date (YTD) terms, the West European car market is down by a third, with the 2020 forecast only slightly improved on last month, to just under 11 mn units for the full year.
