#February2013

The European car market goes to where it has been going for a while: To the toilet. February sales in the EU were down 10.5 percent year-on-year. Sales in February were 9.5 percent lower than an already disappointing January.

Despite Audi CEO Rupert Stadler’s warnings that the effect of the Chinese New Year affects the usually glorious Audi numbers, Audi’s February sales still are something to be proud of.

Today, GM did something highly unusual: It abandoned all spin and said that sales in China were down pretty much across the board in February: “General Motors and its joint ventures sold 215,070 vehicles in China during February. Sales were down 10.6 percent from the same month last year due to the week-long Lunar New Year holiday falling in February this year.” We at TTAC understand.

This was tough month for the panel of analysts polled by Bloomberg: Analysts who previously monopolized the top ranks of the list blew this one. February was won by three bankers: Peter Nesvold in first, followed by Brian Johnson, and Patrick Archambault.

Crazy double digit gains have given way to solid single digit growth (on top of the crazy gains of last year). More importantly for American makers, pickups and SUVs are moving. Stay with us throughout sales day for updates of the sales table.

Japanese automobile sales were down eight percent in February 2013, compared to the same month in the prior year. This according to consolidated data by the Japan Automobile Dealers Association and the Japan Mini Vehicles Association.