Renault, Toyota lead 5.9pc European car sales gain

PARIS: European car sales rose 5.9 percent in October, according to industry data published on Thursday, with Renault and Toyota leading the gains among volume carmakers.

Registrations advanced to 1.208 million cars in the European Union and European Free Trade Area from 1.17 million a year earlier, Brussels-based industry association ACEA said. The gain takes the European market expansion this year to 3.8 percent.

Toyota's monthly sales jumped 20.5 percent, while France's Renault posted a 17.6 percent increase in group registrations powered by strong demand for its no-frills Dacia lineup.

PSA registrations jumped 74 percent after it began reporting sales by the Opel and Vauxhall brands it recently acquired from General Motors alongside its own Peugeot, Citroen and DS marques. The combined sales of all five brands rose about 6.7 percent year-on-year.

Carmakers reported a sharp UK sales decline in October, contrasting with buoyant demand in France and southern Europe, according to data published earlier this month.