Strong December Mitigates French 2013 Car-Sales Drop

PARIS – Thanks to a home-team marketing push, sales of French brands rose 22% in December, bringing total 2013 new-car registrations in the country to 1,790,473, down 5.7% from prior-year, according to the French industry association CCFA.

Although 2013 was the fourth consecutive year of declining sales, it likely was the bottom. Bernard Cambier, Renault’s marketing director for France, expects a stable market growing 2% to 3% in 2014.

Sales per month improved in July, September, October and December in 2013. Deliveries of all French brands rose in December, driving an overall 9.4% gain. Non-French brands were down 1.1%, giving Renault, Dacia, Peugeot and Citroen 50.6% of the market for the month, five points better than a year ago.

Only Ford (+12.9%) and Fiat (+2.9%) showed increases among the other competitors.

Renault deliveries jumped 37.9% in the month, with near-equal gains from both the Renault and Dacia brands. Peugeot was up 6.9% and Citroen up 15.1%. Some of the December gains likely will be pulled ahead from January, when sales taxes and gas-guzzler taxes increase.

All automakers except Fiat, Toyota and Renault lost sales in 2013. Renault car deliveries showed a 0.8% uptick in December, thanks to Dacia’s 11.2% full-year gain and the December rally. December’s 11,500-unit rise improved Renault’s full-year result by 3,300. Including light-commercial vehicles, Renault light-vehicle sales were down 0.7% for the year.

Toyota car sales rose 5.5% and Fiat deliveries grew 2.4% on the year.

The Renault Clio IV was France’s top-selling vehicle in 2013, at 103,172 units, followed by the Peugeot 208, Citroen C3 II, Renault Scenic III, Renault Megane III, Dacia Sandero, Renault Captur, Volkswagen Polo, Renault Twingo II and Peugeot 3008.