EU car sales climb 5.2% to notch June record

Car sales in the European Union showed robust growth in June, as volumes for the month reached a record high despite mixed results across the bloc’s major markets.

New car registrations–a reflection of sales–rose 5.2% on year to 1.57 million vehicles, the highest June total on record, according to data published Tuesday by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, or ACEA.

Of the EU’s major markets, France and Spain posted the strongest growth, with 9.2% and 8.0% more cars registered in June, respectively. In Germany, demand increased 4.2%.

Sales slumped 7.3% in Italy and fell 3.5% in the U.K.

Among the German car makers, Volkswagen AG (VOW.XE) performed best, with 13% growth, while competitor BMW AG (BMW.XE) saw an 8.2% increase. Sales of Daimler AG (DAI.XE) dropped 5.2%.

Peugeot SA (UG.FR) increased sales by 66%, helped by the inclusion of Opel volumes and solid growth of its Peugeot and Citroen brands. French peer Renault SA (RNO.FR) posted sales growth of 4.7%.

Over the first half of the year, the European passenger-car market grew 2.9%, reaching 8.45 million units.

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