New car registrations in Romania for this year decreased by 31.1 percent in September 2012 to 4,700 units compared to the same month last year, when 6,476 cars were registered, according to data from the Car Registration Agency.

Dacia has maintained market leadership with 1,049 new passenger cars registered in September, however, it was a decrease of 45.8 percent compared to September last year. Second place was taken by Volkswagen, with 524 units, down 29.9 percent, followed by another brand of the German group, Skoda, with 404 units, representing a decline of 37.6 percent.

At an EU level, the number of new car registrations fell 10.8 percent in September to 1.09 million units, due to steep declines in the eurozone, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA).

Germany, the largest market in the eurozone recorded a volume of about 250,000 units, down by 10.9 percent. In France, registrations fell by 17.9 percent to approximately 137,500 units, and Italy recorded a 25.7 percent drop to below 110,000 vehicles.

The biggest decrease was recorded in Greece, where new car registrations fell by 48.5 percent in September, to below 3,500 units.

In the first nine months of the year, new car registrations in Romania decreased by 12.1 percent to 49,128 units, while the EU market shrank by 7.6 percent to 9.36 million.

Ioana Toader, ioana.toader@romania-insider.com

photo source: sxc.hu