New vehicle registrations continue to grow in August 2013 in the USA and China while sales were weak in Europe, Russia, Japan, and Brazil.
Worldwide car sales in August 2013 continue to show a mixed picture in different parts of the world. The USA had its best single month in six years while year-to-date growth in China show an increase of 20%. The European car markets continue to weaken although there are positive signs in some markets. Car sales in Japan and Brazil were down in August 2013 while in India car sales increased for the first time this year.
Worldwide Car Sales in 2013 (Jan-August)
New passenger vehicle registrations in various regions of the world according to car sales statistics released by the VDA was as follows during August and the first eight months of 2013:
| Region | 聽August 2013聽 | % Change | 聽Jan -Aug 2013聽 | % Change | 聽July 2013聽 | 聽Jan-June 2013 |
| Europe (EU+EFTA) | 聽687,000 | -4.9 | 聽8,144,700 | -5.2 | 聽1,019,600 | 聽6,436,700 |
| Russia | 聽231,900 | -10.5 | 聽1,799,800 | -6.8 | 聽234,600 | 聽1,333,300 |
| USA | 聽1,497,700 | 17 | 聽10,605,700 | 9.6 | 聽1,309,300 | 聽7,789,200 |
| Japan | 聽310,700 | -1.6 | 聽3,024,000 | -8 | 聽401,900 | 聽2,311,300 |
| Brazil | 聽313,000 | -22.8 | 聽2,346,800 | -1.7 | 聽324,300 | 聽1,709,500 |
| India | 聽190,100 | 4.5 | 聽1,710,700 | -8.1 | 聽186,200 | 聽1,333,400 |
| China | 聽1,244,800 | 16.4 | 聽10,130,600 | 19.6 | 聽1,147,200 | 聽7,738,600 |
| Source: VDA | 聽4,475,200 | 聽37,762,300 | 聽4,623,100 | 聽28,652,000 |
All figures and definitions as per VDA. Sales for the USA, Russia and Brazil are for all light vehicles.
Vehicle Sales in the USA and China in 2013 (Jan to August)
The US light vehicle market increased by 17% in August 2013 to the highest single month sales since May 2007. The American market was again easily the largest single-country vehicle market in the world.
Car sales in China also continue to grow although at a slower pace than earlier in the year. New passenger vehicle registrations in China in August 2013 increased by 16%.
Both the US and Chinese markets have exceeded 10 million vehicles during the first eight months of 2013. Growth in China thus far the year is still more than double the US figure.
Car Sales in World Regions in 2013 (Jan to August)
In the rest of the world car sales were mostly weaker during August 2013. The Brazilian market was down 23% in August largely due to August 2012 being a very strong month due to new incentives.
Similarly in Japan, August 2013 sales were only mildly weaker than a year ago when incentives boosted the market. Sales in August were down only 1.6% compared to 8% year to date.
In the European Union, sales were down 5% in August, only slightly weaker than the year to date. While the German, French, Italian, and Spanish markets were negative, the UK continues to show double-digit growth (+11%). Other smaller markets including Portugal, Ireland, Romania, Hungary, and Slovenia also showed double-digit growth.
India had its first positive growth month this year with an increase of 4.5% in August 2013. Year-to-date, car sales in India are down 8%.