Diesels power more than half the cars sold in Europe last year

AID EXCLUSIVE

WESTERN EUROPE
Diesels power more than half the cars sold in Europe last year
Europe’s love affair with fuel-sipping diesels continues to flourish
Published: Thu, 23 January 2014 16:11:39 GMT
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Recession sparks renewed and familiar slowing in demand for generally pricier diesel cars, but yet another year of trendbucking growth from the region’s hottest sellers – SUV-Crossovers, most of which are bought with a diesel engine – took up most of the slack

Europe’s love affair with fuel-sipping diesels continues to flourish.

That’s the message from AID compiled figures showing that just over half the new passenger cars purchased last year in Western Europe were still powered by a fuel-sipping diesel engine.

And that was at a time when more of the region’s austerity struck consumers were expected to opt for markedly cheaper petrol fuelled small cars. The latest European trend survey by AID shows that last year diesels accounted for 53.6 per cent of West Europe’s new car market.

53.6%
West Europe’s new diesel car market share last year

As it turns out, and fully in keeping with the long-familiar temporary change in regional car buying patterns at times of economic hardship, a higher proportion of the region’s private buyers have expectedly gravitated towards cheaper small cars with petrol engines.

But all that was all but wiped out by contrasting sales gains from the region’s diesel-dominated SUV-Crossovers, which continued to outpace a declining car market for yet another year.

Most recent market developments, under closer scrutiny, reveal more encouraging news for Europe’s large diesel car industry.

Rekindled consumer interest in cars during last year’s fourth quarter, which saw a promising 5.6 per cent rise in West Europe’s overall new car sales, helped elevate the region’s diesel car sales share for this particular fourth quarter to 54.2 per cent, according to AID’s own figures.

This compares with a 53.7 per cent diesel car sales share during last year’s opening quarter....more

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Petrol motor with diesel thirst 15 Aug 2013

Europe’s austerity hits demand for pricier diesels 18 Jun 2013

DATA AVAILABLE TO SUBSCRIBERS WITH THIS ARTICLE:

WEST EUROPEAN new DIESEL CAR sales:
by country FULL YEAR 2013 v FULL YEAR 2012

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53.6% West Europe’s new diesel car market share last year

53.6%
West Europe’s new diesel car market share last year