European Automotive Market Witnessed the Greatest Fall within a Year and a Half 

European automotive market shows negative dynamics for the fourth month on succession – car sales in the Old World, including the EFTA countries, dropped by 16,9% and made up 1 mln 76 K vehicles following the results of July. Such a negative result is stipulated by completion of cash-for-clunker programs in the Western European countries, where «eco-stimuli» ensured high level of sales almost all last year. As analysts of agency «AUTOSTAT» admit in their July review of European automotive market, July downfall of automotive sales in Europe became the greatest from March 2009, and as compared to the July rates the current downfall is the greatest from 1994.

Since economic situation in European countries is still complicated, experts predict that sales drop in the Old World will last in the future and may be about 9% at the year-end. Analysts point out that at the same time there will be changes in the market structure towards corporate sales, which share will grow from 25% to 30%. According to calculations of agency «AUTOSTAT», sales of cars in Europe made up 8 mln 572 K units within seven months of 2010 – which is 1,8% less than within the analogous period of last year.

| AUTOSTAT |