Russian Automakers Capture 63 Percent of New Car Market

Russia climbed to second place in European new passenger car sales for August, surpassing France and the United Kingdom. The shift in rankings occurred despite a decline in Russia's domestic demand, indicating that the move up the list is a result of broader European market fluctuations rather than internal growth. In August, 114,285 new cars were sold in Russia, a 6.5% decrease compared to the previous year. In July, the country held the fifth position. The climb to second place reflects a seasonal slowdown in other major European markets. Country August Sales Year-on-Year Change Germany 212,563 +2.6% Russia 114,285 -6.5% France 94,351 +7.4% United Kingdom 94,236 +13.7% Italy 69,411 +3.2% Spain 68,544 +11.8% Russia was the only major European market to record negative growth in August. The most notable change was the drop of the United Kingdom from second place in July to fourth in August. This volatility is typical for the British market, which usually sees a lull in activity before the September registration plate change.