In an automobile market that seeks to compete, in these first months of 2024, along with the giants of the sector, the most confidential brands are doing well, Volvo, Nissan, Suzuki and even Mitsubishi are showing growth in the first quarter in large part. extent. Two levels. Or even more.
+160% for Mitsubishi
Mitsubishi, a Japanese manufacturer allied with Renault and Nissan, saw its sales increase by 160% from January to March. Volumes are still small, but they have increased from 8,255 cars sold last year to 21,486 at the beginning of the year. Currently, the manufacturer is renewing its range, relying on models designed in collaboration with Renault, such as the ASX, cousin of the Captur or the Colt, cousin of the Clio.
Other brands that are in good shape at the moment: Volvo, with a sales increase of 39.4% or Suzuki with an increase in registrations of almost 35%. Here too the renewed ranges carry these brands.
A mixed electricity market
While the EU plans to ban the sale of thermal cars by 2035, the pace of growth in electric car sales has weakened in recent months. In March, 13% of registered cars were electric, a slight improvement compared to 12% in February, but lower than the 14.6% for all of 2023.
The Volkswagen group, European number 1
For large groups, growth is more muted, like the market (see chart below). During the first quarter, the Volkswagen group (including VW, Audi and Skoda) dominated registrations as usual, but its share of the European market fell by 0.8 points to 24.9%.
Stellantis (Peugeot, Citroën, Fiat) also lost ground to 18.9% market share (-0.4 points), as did the Renault group (10.3%, -0.5 points).
Toyota, for its part, started the year strongly, with a year-on-year increase in registrations of 17.5%, which allowed it to reach 8.1% of the market (+1.1 points). A performance in line with the demand for hybrids of which the Japanese group is the historical specialist.
A green market in 2024, despite the drop in sales in March
Last month, some 1.03 million new passenger cars were put into circulation in the European Union, which represents a drop of 5.2% year-on-year, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) in its monthly statistics report. .
However, thanks to a good start to the year, the European market is moving in the green (+4.4%) from January to March compared to the first quarter of 2023, according to the same source.
Source: BFM TV
