The car market in Europe has seen the largest drop in monthly sales of the decade so far, with the month of September experiencing a 23.4% drop year-on-year from the impact of the recently introduced WLTP (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure) emissions standards.
According to industry analysts JATO, 1.12 million vehicles were registered across Europe last month, which marked a drop of 343,000 units compared to September last year. This decline was expected due to hurdles faced by automakers in getting their models ready to meet the new, more stringent WLTP tests, while JATO noted that just 57% of previously sold models could currently meet the new regulations, according to Autocar.
Overall European sales are still up 2.3% year-on-year, and registrations in the month of August saw spikes as automakers worked to clear existing stock ahead of WLTP coming into effect on September 1, Autocar noted.
“We will continue to see registrations decline so long as a large portion of the market’s versions remain unavailable under the new test conditions. The big question now is how long the drop will last, which will depend on how long it takes car makers to homologate the models they want to keep on the market,” said JATO analyst Felipe Munoz.
The new WLTP regulations proved particularly challenging for the Volkswagen Group, and as a result ceded the sales lead to the PSA Group, comprising Peugeot, Citroën, DS and Vauxhall and Opel. This would mark last September as the first month in eight years that brands from the Volkswagen Group failed to top the European sales charts, the report said.
The PSA Group’s newfound market lead can also be attributed to particularly strong performance from Vauxhall and Opel last month, with 80,920 registrations – just ahead of Ford, at 80,813 units – bringing the brands to the top of the sales chart, despite September year-on-year sales sustaining a 12% dip. Long-time leader Volkswagen saw a 53% drop to 74,469, with the decrease especially marked in Germany. Audi followed the same downward trend with a 60% sales drop.
Europe’s perennial favourite, the Volkswagen Golf struggled to the tune of a 71% drop in registrations to 14,968 units, replaced by the Vauxhall Corsa as the new market leader with 24,752 units registered, representing a 5% increase. The Ford Fiesta also did well, recording 22,478 registrations – a 20% increase, putting it second in European sales for this period.
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Top brands and top models are still European and American, Japanese are nowhere to be seen.
American brand is almost non existence in Europe where the continental makers have stronger grip there in terms of image, product, safety and technology as well as network support. Even Toyota and Honda failed to make a dent in any of European countries. Can you see now why Toyota has collaborations with Peugeot and BMW?
It mentions there Ford is 2nd best selling brand in EU. Granted Ford cars sold there isn’t American per se but the brand is.
Yup, but Ford of Europe is selling different type of cars compare to north america. Smaller engines and body size
It’s still a Ford nevertheless, with official presence there. Furthermore, cars like Fiesta, Focus, Ranger are now global models which are being sold around the world, including USA.
Smaller engine and body size but Focus & Fiesta are also sold in homeland US. So considered they are US models. Some specific US cars like F-150 & Mustang are also beginning to be imported into EU. So there are a lot of US Ford in EU now as compared to the past.
Malaysia’s ‘Game Changing’ national car are nowhere to be seen either.
Daihatsu didn’t allow Perodua to expand, that’s why.
P2 does not call themselves ‘Game Changer’
None did, so?
So its not only Proton which flunked emissions standard
Nope. But Nissan, Suzuki, Yamaha, Mazda, and by association with the latter 2 so is Toyota, did.
Proton did nor even pass euro 5 some 6-7 years ago let alone the euro 6 introduced later. You can say WLTP is something like euro 7 emission control.
To be able to pass Euro5/6 emission, the engine needs to be direct injection, but with the Geely partnership and access to Volvo’s engine tech, they stand a very good chance returning back to Europe. A lot of fans there are awaiting their return.
As usual, using other people’s tech to pass the test. This is our national pride.
No different. Toyota used Mazda2 rabadged as Yaris because their own Yaris can’t pass USA crash test and emissions. So what?
Are u sure Yaris can’t pass USA crash and emission tests?
The Toyota Yaris is a mature car so it’s not a new car, and Toyota is a much bigger brand than Mazda. Why would they need to rebadge Mazda2 as Yaris, unless their Yaris can’t enter USA?
Even Audi using VW engines & gearboxes
Have u heard of platform sharing? This is what big companies do to save development cost. Toyota and Mazda are both Japanese companies. It is normal for Japanese companies to collaborate.
Also Yaris hatch is not made by Mazda and it got 5 stars Euro NCAP safety rating and is currently selling in the USA. So what u said is not true but just for bashing purpose.
Platform sharing is done when the other party doesn’t have the car (ie Toyota using Z4 platform for new Supra) but in this case Toyota has Yaris concurrently. The only conceivable reason for rebadging is is Yaris failed to meet USA standards either in terms of safety or environment.
Obviously you have a short memory old chap. You don’t remember DIESEL-GATE? It was done by a famous company called VW group, who used a ‘cheat device’ because they had a hard time to meet US emissions standard.
True. All these are just brainless Proton haters. Hate for the sake of hating.
Opel/Vauxhall build super robust cars. Esp my 16yo Zafira Mpv
Hope my Astra K can last half as long..I happy Liao..hehe