French Auto Makers See Car Sales Slide in November

PARIS – November’s 7.6% decline in passenger-car registrations was enough to push France’s year-to-date sales total into the red.

Through the first 11 months, auto makers delivered 2,016,534 cars, down 0.3% from year-ago. However, sales of light-commercial vehicles climbed 9.9% in November for a 2.9% gain year-to-date.

Peugeot blames weak demand on outgoing 207.

That was enough to nudge combined sales through the first 11 months up 0.2% to 2,406,617 units.

Auto makers are reining in production with temporary layoffs as they try to keep inventory in line with falling demand anticipated across Europe as the sovereign-debt crisis remains unsettled.

Both French auto makers suffered more than the overall market in November. Renault car sales slid 7.2%, while PSA Peugeot Citroen’s deliveries plunged 15.4% compared with year-ago.

In contrast, Renault’s LCV sales jumped 18.8% in the month.

Renault saw improved sales from its Dacia marque in November, up 26.9% thanks mainly to the Duster cross/utility utility and Sandero hatchback. The auto maker says Dacia is the No.4 brand in France in sales to individual clients.

However, Dacia deliveries declined 14.5% over the past 11 months, a continuing reminder that subsidies for natural-gas vehicles, which boosted volumes in 2010, have ended.

PSA’s Peugeot sales plummeted 23.4% through November, while Citroen was down only 4.9%, due in part to the success of the DS3 and DS4. The DS5, which tops the premium line, is just arriving in the market.

Peugeot says weak demand for its cars was a natural result of the end of the lifecycle for the B-segment 207, which will be replaced next spring. It also was influenced by a decision not to get into a price war with the Renault Clio, its biggest competitor in France that also is nearing the end of its cycle.

A Peugeot spokesman says the 206+, a low-cost version of the last-generation B-segment car, will continue in production even after the 207 output stops next year. This means that for a time Peugeot will be selling the 206+ and the 208. Eventually, the 208 will be the sole entry.

Among the European brands sold in France in November, Volkswagen, Ford and BMW enjoyed positive results, while Fiat and General Motors suffered declines.

Volkswagen sales have been up most of the year, but the 1.8% gain in November was well below its 12.1% year-to-date score. Ford’s 5.5% increase brought the first 11 months to a positive score by 142 vehicles. GM’s 18.5% decline still leaves the group 7.5% ahead of prior-year.

Nissan and Hyundai scored gains for the Asian auto makers in November, while Toyota was down for the month but up for the year.