FRANKFURT (Reuters) - New car registrations in Europe rose 6.9 percent in April, industry data showed, on growth in large markets like Italy, France, Germany and Great Britain, and as demand for mass market brands like VW outpaced sales of premium vehicles.
New registrations in the European Union (EU) and countries of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) rose to 1,209,551 passenger cars, data from the Association of European Carmakers (ACEA) showed on Tuesday.
In the European Union car sales rose for 20 months in a row, ACEA said, adding that all major markets grew, with sales in Italy, Europe's fourth largest market, up 24.2 percent in April, and demand in Germany, Europe's largest market, climbing 6.3 percent.
Registrations in Great Britain rose 5.1 percent and demand in Spain eased, rising only 3.2 percent after months of double-digit growth after a government scrappage scheme ran out.
Among the top gainers was Renault Group (PA:RENA), which saw sales in the EU and EFTA bloc jump 15.3 percent, boosted mainly by a 15.6 percent surge in sales of Renault branded cars, and sales of Dacia branded cars up 14.7 percent.
Demand for Skoda branded cars was up 9.5 percent while premium brands Audi and Mercedes saw registrations rise only 3.7 percent and 3 percent.
Europe's best selling car brand remains Volkswagen (XETRA:VOWG), which recorded a 5.6 percent rise in registrations to 154,311 passenger cars last month.
Sales of Fiat cars and those of Opel and its sister brand Vauxhall cars rose 9.7 percent and 5.7 percent respectively, during the same period, ACEA data showed.