The sale of new cars declined again in January, in Romania and across the EU. New car registrations in Romania were down by 10.1 percent, dropping from around 5,000 in January 2012 to just under 4,500 in the first month of this year.

Overall across the EU demand for new cars declined by 8.7 percent, continuing the falling trend seen all last year. There were a bit over 885,000 new registrations in the first month of 2013, a record low for January registrations since the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) began publishing monthly EU figures in 1990.

Of Europe's biggest car markets, only the UK posted growth up by 11.5, percent while hefty falls were recorded in Germany (-8.6 percent), Spain (-9.6 percent ), France (-15.1 percent) and Italy (-17.6 percent). In absolute figures, Germany was still the largest market with 192,090 new registrations, followed by the UK (143,643 units), France (124,798) and Italy (113,525). Spain registered 49,671 new cars, which was slightly less than Belgium (50,684 units).

Among the bad news for the motor trade, there was a bright spot for local manufacturing. Renault owned Romanian car company Dacia continues to do well. Sales of Dacias, seemingly Europe's austerity-mobile, were up in January 2013 on January last year by 8.8 percent. More than 20,000 Dacias were sold in the first month of this year across the EU, from a little over 18,500 in January 2012. The company's market share also increased form 1.9 percent to 2.3 percent and the buoyant results helped parent company Renault's figures.

editor@romania-insider.com