Germany’s new car registrations rose in 2004, for the first year since 1999, thanks to a strong final spurt of sales in Europe’s largest car market in December, German auto association VDA reportedly said on Friday.
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Reuters reported that two additional working days as the Christmas holidays fell on a weekend, and sales incentives, boosted December registrations 22%, pushing the full year figure up to 3.27 million cars – a growth of 1% from 2003.
While imported brands posted an increase in sales of 5% in December, German brands succeeded in boosting sales by 30% last month, the report said, adding that the market growth in 2004 was due almost solely to a strong final quarter, when registrations rose every month for an accumulated 12%.
The VDA reaffirmed its forecast for a slight rise in registrations in 2005, after domestic new car orders climbed 4% last year, Reuters noted.
