Despite a strong sales performance in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) in Q4
2010, annual figures show that overall sales in the region declined last year,
according to the latest figures from the world’s leading provider of automotive
intelligence, JATO Dynamics.
A total of 880,043 units were sold in CEE in 2010 compared to 925,770 in 2009, a
decline of 4.9%. This is in contrast to a positive final quarter of 2010 for the region
that saw sales increase by 9.3% and all of the top ten brands, apart from Fiat,
experienced growth.
A number of markets experienced double-digit sales falls in 2010 with Hungary
(-27.9%), Romania (-18.3%) and Slovakia (-22.6%) amongst the worst affected.
In terms of growth, Latvia experienced the most positive 2010, with a sales
increase of 18.6%.
“The strong performance of these markets in Q4 can be largely attributed to
consumers purchasing ahead of expected local taxation changes to be effected in
2011, for example the implementation of new CO2 related taxation, abolition of
taxation relief from the next year, and the promotional efforts of the importers,
although these improvements must be viewed in the context of very low sales in
Q4 2009,” said Evangelos Hadjistavrou, Regional General Manager, JATO
Dynamics.
Source: JATO | Read more please.
