New car registrations in western Europe rose 4.3% in March to 1.72m vehicles, the German motor industry association VDA told Reuters on Tuesday, citing preliminary figures.
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But it added that major markets had as many as two extra selling days in March this year compared with a year ago, when the long Easter weekend was in March.
Western European car registrations, which closely mirror sales, gained 3.4% in the first quarter to 3.96m vehicles, the VDA reportedly said.
Registrations in Italy rose 8.6% in March, in Spain 8.3% and in Germany 6.9%, but they fell 1.6% in Britain and 2.5% in France.
VDA cited improved consumer sentiment in Italy and brisk retail demand in Spain, Reuters said, while French carmakers lost market share on their home turf last month and overall sales in Britain slipped despite the first rise in retail demand in two years.
Reuters noted that March is traditionally a strong month for car sales in Britain given the twice-yearly changeover in license plates. Registrations hit nearly 436,000 vehicles in March, surpassing 358,000 in Germany, normally Europe’s biggest car market.
