France Car Sales Rise 5.8% in December

French car sales rose 5.8% in December, according to industry data published on December 1, closing a second consecutive year of strong growth in Europe’s third-biggest auto market. Registrations rose to 194,388 cars last month from 183,720 a year earlier, the French Auto Manufacturers Association said. The full-year total topped 2 million, a 5.1% increase from 2015, Reuters reported. Renault gained on competitors in its domestic market last year, with an 8% sales increase led by its no-frills Dacia brand. Rival PSA, maker of Peugeot, Citroen and DS cars, lost market share as sales stagnated. In December, both French carmakers underperformed the market expansion, with Renault registrations increasing a modest 0.6% and PSA down 3.5%. The French auto market, which ranks behind Germany and Britain by volume, has been in recovery since 2015, when car sales rose 6.8%. That followed four straight years of decline and an almost flat 2014. Delivery van registrations rose 3.2% in December and 8.1% over the year, the CCFA also said. Light vehicle sales, which combine vans and cars, rose 5.6% in 2016.