Car sales up 32.4 percent in first half of the year

Newsroom 16/07/2014 | 16:15

Romanian new car sales rose 32.4 percent to 39,290 units in the January-June period compared to the same period in 2013, the Automotive Manufacturers and Importers Association, or APIA, said Wednesday.

For passenger cars, the increase was 35.t percent, from 28,964 units in the first six months of last year to 39,290 in the first semester of 2014.

Bus sales increased by 272.4 percent, to 108 units and minivan sales increase 10.3 percent to 589 units. Small commercial vehicles, under 3.5 tonnes, moved up 14.3 percent in sales to 4.559 units sold and trucks increased by 23.6 percent to 2,491 units.

According to APIA, car sales in Romania are supported by company acquisitions (representing 72 percent of all sales in the first six months of 2014). In june the difference between individuals and companies is more balanced (36 percent in January compared to 64 percent in June), which makes the influence of the Cash-for-Clunkers program more obvious.