In March this year, Germany's passenger car output rose by 7.6 percent month on month to 542,500 units, but was down seven percent compared to the same month last year, according to the data released by the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA). Meanwhile, in the first quarter of this year Germany's car output remained stable year on year, totaling 1,494,800 units.
During March this year, a total of 417,400 passenger cars were exported, decreasing five percent compared to March 2011 and up 10 percent over the previous month. In the first quarter of the year, German passenger car exports amounted to 1,150,900 units, remaining unchanged compared to the same period last year. On the other hand, 339,200 new cars were registered in Germany in the month in question, rising three percent compared to the same month of the previous year. German new car registrations in the first three months of 2012 amounted to 773,700 units, up one percent year on year.
The association noted that the decreases observed in the production and the export figures are due first and foremost to the statistical method employed and not to weaker demand. Furthermore, March 2012 had one less working day compared to the same month last year.
Commenting on the figures, VDA president Matthias Wissmann stated, "The German market is in a robust mood, but the high fuel prices are putting the brakes on sales of new cars. The additional costs at the fuel pumps are holding back consumer spending."