West European car sales enjoyed a year-on-year gain in February, but much of the improvement came about as a result of the extra selling day in February 2008, according to figures released by JD Power Automotive Forecasting.

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February sales were up 6.1% on last year with the extra sales day due to a leap year accounting for around 4% of that gain.


JD Power said that consumer confidence across Europe has dropped sharply in recent months in response to the bad news coming from the crisis-hit financial sector but that had failed to come through ‘noticeabley’ in market figures yet.


However, the forecaster warned that ‘serious structural weakening is evident in some economies’ and this is expected to come through to vehicle demand in 2008, not least in Spain and the UK.


Sales in Germany increased by 25% year on year over what was a poor month in 2007. On a seasonally adjusted annualised basis, the 3.4 mn units/year selling rate should give cause for some optimism for the market in 2008.

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JD Power said that buyers ‘now seem to be drifting back to the market’ after a poor result last year in which uncertainty over the coming new tax system held sales,
particularly to retail buyers, back.


French demand is described as ‘holding up well’ and looks poised to expand again in 2008.


Italian sales performed well in February and the ongoing incentive scheme should continue to provide support, JD Power said.


Spanish demand held up well in February but is tracking below last year’s level. The construction sector crisis is likely to continue to exert downward pressure on the market over the next two or three years as unemployment increases.


The UK market cooled again in February with sales down by over 5% year on year in spite of the extra sales day.