European car sales rose by 9% in April, industry data showed today, with nearly all car manufacturers recording sales increases and the Volkswagen brand back to growth despite its diesel emissions scandal.
New passenger car registrations in the European Union and European Free Trade Association increased to 1.3 million vehicles last month.
This is according to the Brussels-based Association of European Carmakers (ACEA).
"The EU passenger car market posted strong results again, marking the 32nd consecutive month of growth," the industry group said in a statement.
"This is the highest result in volume terms since April 2008, just before the economic crisis hit the automotive industry," it added.
European car sales returned to annual growth in 2014 after a six-year slump during which registrations fell to their lowest in decades.
Demand has been growing each month since as an improvement in consumer confidence, retail incentives and new product launches lured customers back to the showrooms.
Last month's growth was mainly driven by German car makers Daimler and BMW, rising 21.6% and 11.7%, respectively, thanks to the popularity of their Mercedes and Mini brands, and by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.
Overall group sales at Volkswagen, Europe's biggest carmaker, rose 5.3% and demand for its core brand was back in growth, rising 2.6% in April after dipping 1.6% the previous month.
However, the group's market share in the region slipped to 25.4% from 26.2% as it continued to pay the price of its diesel emissions test-rigging scandal.
Other big market brands grew, but at a single-digit rate, with deliveries from France's Peugeot Citroen group and Renault up 5.6% and 5.3%, respectively, and those from US group Ford rising 4%.
Registrations from the Opel Group, the European division of General Motors, grew 6.6%.
All five major national markets recorded sales increases last month, led by Spain, where registrations jumped 21.2%, followed by Italy, where sales were up 11.5%.
In the first four months of the year, European registrations increased 8.3% to 5.25 million vehicles, ACEA added.
