The data shows that registrations for the year to date are at the lowest level recorded, with 7,841,596 units registered or 5.2% less than in the same period last year.

Over this period, only the UK put in a positive performance, with registrations up 10.44%. In contrast, the other major markets all saw a downturn, ranging from -3.6% in Spain to -6.6% in Germany, -9.0% in Italy and -9.8% in France. 

In July, passenger car registrations rose 5.0%, with the month counting on average one more working day across the EU. Italy was the only major market to shrink (-1.6%), while growth reached +0.9% in France, +2.1% in Germany, +12.7% in the UK and +14.9% in Spain. In total, 982,544 new cars were registered in the EU, or 5.0% more than in July 2012.  

However, August results were down, with a fall of 5.0% to 653,872 new car registrations. On average the month saw one working day less across the EU. The downturn prevailed across significant markets, with the German market contracted by 5.5%, the Italian by 6.6%, the French by 10.5% and the Spanish by 18.3%. The UK was the only major market to expand (+10.9%).