World Vehicle Sales Down 0.7% in August

Global automakers delivered 6.49 million units in August, down 0.7% from year-ago.

Deliveries in Europe totaled 1.14 million units, 17.6% of global auto sales. This was lowest share of the year, but August is traditionally a slow month in the region as many people vacation during the period. The result was 6.8% above August 2014, when the market was at its lowest point of any month in the previous 10 years recorded by WardsAuto.

Germany, the region’s largest market, saw vehicle deliveries climb 4.7% in August. Sales in France increased 8.1%, and the U.K. jumped 10.7%. Most small Eastern European nations posted double-digit gains. A 19.8% drop in the No.2 market, Russia, suppressed the growth for the whole region.

North American sales were slightly better than year-ago with a 0.4% rise, the smallest growth since February 2014. The 1.90 million vehicles accounted for 29.3% of the global total, the highest take rate in over 10 years.

The U.S. registered a small decline, ticking down 0.3%. Canada was up 2.3%, and Mexico jumped 7.4% over year-ago.

The Asia-Pacific market posted a fifth consecutive year-over-year drop, slipping 0.9%. Sales of 3.01 million units were 46.3% of the world tally.

Deliveries fell 3.0% in China, which accounted for 25.6% of the global market and 55.4% of the Asian total. Japan sales declined 1.9%. The next-biggest markets, India and South Korea helped to soften the blow as sales rose 4.7% and 13.2%, respectively.

South America continued to post poor results, plummeting 20.5% to 356,000 units. Although sales in the continent covered just 5.5% of the world total, the drastic decline was a significant factor in the global negative result.

Brazil’s automakers delivered 23.9% fewer vehicles than year-ago. Argentina recorded the lowest drop, down 6.6%.

August’s results brought year-to-date worldwide vehicle sales to 57.19 million units, up 0.2% from like-2014.

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