Total sales for the year came to 1,601,216 units compared to 2,491,403 for 2014 – a drop of 890,187 units.

Sales decreased by 45.7% in December 2015 to 146 963 units – down 123,682 units

Joerg Schreiber, chairman of the AEB Automobile Manufacturers Committee, commented: “December sales of 147 thousand units represent the best monthly result achieved in 2015, at the same staying far below prior year’s all-time record of 270 thousand units. With this, annual sales of PC and LCV in 2015 reached 1,60 million units, 890 thousand units or 35,7% below 2014 level of 2,49 million units.

Expectations for the new year are muted. AEB member forecast for the total market in 2016 is to reach 1.53 million units, assuming no major change in government support to the automotive sector. Under this condition, it appears possible to limit further volume erosion to a level of under 5% year-on-year. This would be some progress in view of the dramatic losses in the recent past, bearing in mind however that it remains uncertain when the market will finally stabilize and return to much needed growth.”