New car sales in Germany have been disappointing so far this year, Reuters reported, citing Opel’s head of sales in the country.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more


The VDA has forecast the market will be very slightly up on the 3.34m units registered in 2005, but demand for high ticket items is weak as unemployment remains high. More than five million people were out of work in January.


A positive boost to the market may come from customers seeking to buy a new car before the value-added tax (VAT) rate is increased, Reuters noted.


The German government is planning to raise VAT from 16% to 19% from early 2007.


The VDA has not yet published figures for January 2006 registrations.

Just Auto Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Auto Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Continental has secured the Window Displays Innovation Award in the 2025 Just Auto Excellence Awards for its Window Projection solution, transforming side windows into dynamic, data-rich canvases. Discover how this compact projection technology and intelligent software are reshaping in-car UX and opening fresh revenue streams for OEMs and mobility providers.

Discover the Impact