Spain new car sales down 13.2 percent in 2012

After France announced that its sales fell 13.9 percent in 2012, now is Spain’s turn.

New car sales in Spain fell 13.4 per cent in 2012, car manufacturers’ association Anfac said on Wednesday. This is the lowest level since Anfac started collecting data in 1989. Only 700,000 new vehicles were sold in 2012.

In December only, car market fell 23 percent year-on-year.

“It has been a tremendously tough year,” said Jaume Roura, chairman of Faconauto, a car dealer association. “Car dealers are suffering with particular virulence [from] the lack of economic activity and the lack of financing.”

Spain is the second largest car manufacturer in Europe after Germany (n1) and employs almost 10 percent of its total population. Seat is the sole active Spanish brand.

In December, the number of unemployed people has almost hit 5 million mark!

In 2013 new car sales in Europe will remain more or less at their 2012 level, the head of Italian carmaker’s association ANFIA said last week.