Renault, Toyota lead European car sales rise in August

[BERLIN] European car sales rose 5.5 per cent in August, accelerating from an increase of 2.6 per cent in July, according to industry data published on Thursday.

Registrations rose to 903,143 vehicles in the European Union (EU) and European Free Trade Association (Efta) countries in August and to 1.19 million vehicles for July, Brussels-based industry body Acea said.

For the first eight months of the year, registrations were up 4.4 per cent to 10.56 million vehicles.

In the 28-nation EU excluding Malta, registrations climbed 5.6 per cent to 865,047 vehicles in August, the best August performance in a decade, Acea said.

Europe's largest carmaker, Volkswagen, which is still grappling with its diesel emissions scandal, saw August deliveries rise 2.8 per cent, with its namesake brand down 4.4 per cent.

Among the major manufacturers, Renault and Toyota saw the biggest monthly increases with 13 per cent and 12.5 per cent, followed by Fiat Chrysler with 9.8 per cent.

Performance was mixed for the region's two biggest markets. Germany saw a 3.5 per cent increase, while Britain registered a 6.4 per cent drop, continuing a 9.3 per cent fall seen in July.

REUTERS