New-car registrations in Romania dropped 49% in the five-month period into May, while the European market decreased 2% from the same period of 2009, data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association show.
In Romania, 26,351 new cars were registered in the period under review, versus 51,653 in year-ago period.
Then demand for new cars in Europe rose in Jan-May period, by 2% to 6.11 million units, from 5.97 million units in the same period of last year.
Five months into 2010, the biggest new-car registrations declines were observed in Romania (-49%), Hungary (-46%), Bulgaria (-45%), Slovakia (-30%), Estonia (-26%), and the biggest hikes were observed in Portugal (+56%), Spain (+43%), Ireland (+42%), Sweden (+36%) and Denmark (+32%).
In May, new-car registrations dropped 25% in Romania, to 8,657 units, from 11,475 units in the same period of last year.
In May, 1.16 million vehicles were registered in Europe, 9% down from 1,27 million units in May 2009.
The biggest declines in May registrations were observed in Greece (-54%), Slovakia (-41%), Bulgaria (-40%), Germany (-35%), and the sharpest increases in Ireland (+70%), Finland (+48%), and Spain (+45%).
Registrations of Dacia in Europe dropped 4% in May to 24,000 vehicles, but rose 23% in the five-month period to 110,000 and recorded a market share of 1.8%.
The biggest declines in the first five months were recorded by Honda, Chrysler and Mitsubishi, and the biggest increase in Land Rover, Nissan and Renault.