According to the data released by the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA), in February this year Germany's passenger car output rose by 13.3 percent month on month to 504,100 units, down three percent compared to the same month last year.
During the month in question, the German passenger car market maintained the high level of sales seen last year, with 224,400 units sold. While importers recorded a fall of seven percent in sales in the German market, the German brands pushed up their domestic sales by three percent year on year to 157,700 new vehicles.
However, Germany's passenger car exports slumped by six percent year on year in February to 379,500 units. VDA president Matthias Wissmann said that the German automotive industry could no longer be completely disconnected from the weak situation in the market in parts of western Europe. Meanwhile, Wissmann added that German automotive manufacturers have been very successful in the US market. In February, they increased their sales of light vehicles (passenger cars and light trucks) by around 29 percent to 87,100 units, while the market as a whole grew by 16 percent to 1.15 million units, both year on year.