Western European New car sales shot up by 16.5 per cent in October compared with a year earlier.
However, industry analysts are predicting a fall of up to 10 per cent across the whole of 2010 as the beneficial effects of scrappage schemes come to an end.
Figures from Germany say that, so far in 2009, sales are up 25.9 percent but that the country’s hugely successful scrappage scheme end in September. Other European scrappage schemes, including the one in the UK, will also end before 2010.
According to JD Power figures quoted by just-auto, analysts expect Western European car sales to drop from 13.4m units this year to 12m units next year.
Adding to the bleak outlook, the analysts also predict that growth in Western European new car sales in 2011 will be in ‘single digits’.
