The French car market posted a larger than expected 6.8% year-on-year decline in December as it struggled against a weak domestic economy.
According to CCFA data, car sales in France declined to 163,382 vehicles last month and in the full year were up by a slender 0.3% to stand at 1,795,913 units. However, it was the first time that the annual French car market has grown since 2009.
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December’s fall follows a 2.3% year-on-year decline posted in November and a 3.8% drop in October.
Analysts say that consumers in France remain reluctant to spend on big-ticket items amid continuing concern over high unemployment and uncertainties over government economic policy.
The CCFA data confirms the French car makers’ continuing dominance of their domestic market with a combined share of just over 55% last year. The top ten models were all supplied by the two big French groups. The highest ranking model from a non-French group was the VW Polo in 11th spot and sales of 40,407 units last year.
| New car sales France | ||
| Jan-Dec 2014 | units | %ch |
| PSA Peugeot Citroën | 536,146 | 1.6 |
| Peugeot | 305,015 | 5.3 |
| Citroën | 199,385 | 2.4 |
| DS | 31,746 | -27.2 |
| Groupe Renault | 456,425 | 6.8 |
| Renault | 353,906 | 4.8 |
| Dacia | 102,519 | 14.1 |
| French Groups | 993,793 | 3.9 |
| Others | 802,120 | -3.8 |
| Total | 1,795,913 | 0.3 |
| Top Ten Car Lines | ||
| Renault Clio IV | 105,182 | |
| Peugeot 208 | 83,965 | |
| Renault Captur | 62,985 | |
| Peugeot 308 II | 60,842 | |
| Citroën C3 II | 59,627 | |
| Peugeot 2008 | 54,161 | |
| Renault Scenic III | 49,068 | |
| Citroën C4 II Picasso | 45,339 | |
| Renault Megane III | 44,791 | |
| Dacia Sandero | 44,357 | |
| Source: CCFA |
