J.D. Power Automotive Forecasting say western European new-car sales fell by 15% to 1,035 million units in October from a year earlier.
“The speed and severity of the market decline is now perhaps even greater than that which took place during the recession of the early 1990s,” J.D. Power say in a statement.
The forecaster predicts a decline of 10% for the car market in Western Europe next year after an expected 8% fall in 2008. That will place major strains on the European auto industry.
Germany is now succumbing to the downturn. German new-car sales were down 8% to 259,000 units in October, J.D. Power said. The October decline amounts to an annualized selling rate of below 3 million units.
Sales in France are also now weakening after only mild declines earlier. French sales fell 7% to 175,000 units last month.
The UK market continued to fall sharply with October sales down 23% to 128,000 units with a double-digit in 2009.
Spain’s October sales were down 40% to 78,000 units and Italian sales dropped 20% to 168,000 units.
The forecaster predicts a decline of 10% for the car market in Western Europe next year after an expected 8% fall in 2008. That will place major strains on the European auto industry.
Germany is now succumbing to the downturn. German new-car sales were down 8% to 259,000 units in October, J.D. Power said. The October decline amounts to an annualized selling rate of below 3 million units.
Sales in France are also now weakening after only mild declines earlier. French sales fell 7% to 175,000 units last month.
The UK market continued to fall sharply with October sales down 23% to 128,000 units with a double-digit in 2009.
Spain’s October sales were down 40% to 78,000 units and Italian sales dropped 20% to 168,000 units.