New car sales surpassed 115,000 units in the first five months of this year, recording a 23.4% increase from 93,968 new car registrations in the same period last year, according to data published by the Association of Car Producers and Importers in Romania (APIA). Sales of commercial vehicles rose by 24.6%, from 14,703 units to 18,315 units. Commercial vehicles included, car sales totaled 135,175 units in the period January-May 2007, a 23.7% increase compared with 109,236 units in the same period last year.
Domestic car production amounted to 99,516 units in the first five months, rising by 5.4% from some 94,000 cars manufactured in the corresponding period of 2006. Exports increased by 33.7%, totaling 48,447 units, compared with 36,240 cars shipped abroad in the first five months of 2006, according to APIA statistics. Between January and May this year, car imports reached 87,742 units, recording a 54.8% rise from 56,358 units in the same period of 2006. Import car sales rose by 52% in the first five months to over 71,000 units, while domestic car brands fell 5%, according to data published by APIA, quoted by NewsIn .