New-Car Deliveries Fall 2% in France

Retail sales of new passenger vehicles in France slipped 2% to 172,200 units in July in spite of one more selling day during the month this year, says trade group CCFA.

Analysts note that carmakers distorted the market last July by offering discounts to clear inventories of vehicles whose emission levels would make them unsalable when the European Union’s new WLTP (Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure) took effect in September.

CCFA says registrations by PSA Group climbed 4% to 58,500 units in July, but Renault Group sales fell 10% to 33,900. Combined sales by domestic and imported brands each fell 2%.

Sales of light vehicles in France through the first half of the year also declined 2%, to 1.34 million vehicles. A 2% gain by PSA was offset by declines of 5% for Renault and 2% for foreign brands.