The French automobile market experienced a slight decline in March (-1.47%) compared to last year, with two fewer working days and the wait for new models that could revitalize the market, in particular in Stellantis, according to statistics published on Monday . In total, 180,024 new passenger cars were registered in March, the Automobile Platform (PFA), which brings together French manufacturers and equipment suppliers, said in a statement.
Taking into account these two fewer days, “we are approximately at the same level as last year,” commented François Roudier of the PFA.
This drop, the first in a month from one year to the next since 2021 according to François Roudier, is due in particular to the giant Stellantis (-8.78%), including the two emblematic brands, Peugeot (-12.93%) and Citroën (- (17.73%) fell, after experiencing a strong rebound in recent months, like the entire group. The French-Italian-American group captured 29% of the market, a drop of more than two points compared to the same month of 2023.
“Waiting for new vehicles”
For “the two big brands of the group”, there is “hope for new vehicles”, stressed François Roudier, referring to the “best-seller 3008 from Peugeot”, whose new formula has just arrived at dealerships, and for Citroën, the new e -C3, an electric vehicle that will boost the urban car market. The Renault group, for its part, experienced slight growth (+2.78%) and represented 24.21% of the market (+0.97 points). It benefits from the good results of its namesake brand (+8.92%), while its moderately priced brand, Dacia, fell sharply (-9.16%).
During the first three months of the current year, the dynamics remain positive: the market has grown by 5.71% compared to the same period in 2023. However, the market is still 20% below the figures before the Covid. The pandemic, the disorganization of supply chains and the shortage of semiconductors, as well as inflation, have dealt a severe blow to new car sales in France for four years.
Regarding electric cars, since the beginning of 2024, and the implementation by the Government of social leasing, which has been very successful to the point of having to be suspended, 18% of registrations have referred to this type of vehicle (+2.6 points in one year). ). For their part, hybrids took over 36.8% of the market (+5.9 points). The proportion of conventional engines has logically decreased, with gasoline engines falling to 33.4% (-5.1 points) and diesel engines to 7.5% (-3.7 points).
Real estate and family morality
Among the other manufacturers, the main importer, the Volkswagen group, remained relatively stable (-0.88%), while Daimler experienced a spectacular rebound (+58.81%). The Toyota group recorded an equally spectacular recovery (+46.32%), with significantly higher volumes.
In general, “we are having a pretty good first quarter,” commented François Roudier, who believes that the second quarter should also “be pretty good,” but describes “a big unknown in the second half,” given the crisis in the real estate sector and construction and morale indices of homes that “contradict each other a little.”
Source: BFM TV
