Car sales down by 17.7% in Romania in the first quarter

Car sales in Romania fell by 17.7 percent in the first three months of this year compared to the same period in 2010, to 14,751 units, according to data from the Automobile Manufacturers and Importers Association in Romania (APIA). However, the sales increased in March 2011 by 44.6 percent compared to the previous month, reaching 6.119 units. The production of cars in Romania increased by 6.9 percent in the first three months of this year, to 91,917 units. Car exports went up by 5.1 percent in the first quarter to 81,627 units, while imports decreased by 3.8 percent to 13,585 units. Dacia remained the leader on the Romanian market, with 4,260 cars sold, the Romanian carmaker being followed by Volkswagen, with 2,079 units sold and Skoda, with 1,382 units sold. In March 2011, Dacia also sold the most cars with 1,577 units, followed by Volkswagen with 963 units sold and Ford, with 557 units. Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com