Passenger car sales in Spain rose 12% in 2016

November records a 13.5% increase in the passenger car market.

For the eighth consecutive month, the passenger car market registered growth in November, at 13.5%, with a volume of 92,653 registrations. However, it should be highlighted that the absence of the PIVE scrappage incentive has caused a slowdown in the private buyers segment, which grew by just 3.9%.

“Around this time last year, registrations were growing by around 25%, almost three times faster than now, driven mainly by private buyers; the picture has now changed. Without PIVE, the psychological stimulus to buy a car is missing, in a microeconomic environment shaken by unemployment and a lack of money in people’s pockets, which still does not feel the improvement in the macroeconomy,” says Juan Antonio Sánchez Torres, president of GANVAM (National Association of Motor Vehicle Dealers).

Despite the slowdown in car sales to private buyers, November posted its best figure for the month since 2007. In the cumulative period from January to November, the passenger car market is growing at a rate of 11.1%, with a volume that already exceeds one million units, specifically 1,050,121 registrations. Everything points to 2016 closing with more than 1.1 million registrations.

“Looking ahead to the end of the year, we maintain a forecast of 1,157,000 units, which would mean 12% growth, with the private buyer market closing at 630,000 registrations, that is, an increase of 8% and, more importantly, accounting for 55% of the market,” says Jaume Roura, president of the dealership employers’ association FACONAUTO.

Nevertheless, almost 8 million vehicles over 15 years old are still on our roads. For this reason, policies that encourage the removal of older cars from circulation remain necessary.

“Having a younger, safer and less polluting fleet, in line with the Administration’s objectives, requires recovering scrappage schemes. These should be included alongside other fiscal measures within a comprehensive plan to boost the automotive sector, a plan that GANVAM is already conveying to the new Government,” says the president of the National Association of Motor Vehicle Dealers.

Source: ANFAC