New Cars Sales In Free Fall In Romania

The sale of new cars on the Romanian market dropped dramatically as a result of the reluctant Romanians, in the face of the financial crisis and lack of credits. In February 2009, there were 7,182 new cars registered, or 66.5% less than the number of cars bought the same period a year before, a report of the European association of car makers said.

This resulted in taking Romania on the third position, among the new EU member-states. Poland and the Czeck Republic had 30,194 and 9,823 new cars registered, respectively.

The Romanian made brand of Dacia dropped 25.4% in the number of units registered in the EU and EFTA countries (Island, Norway and Switzerland), with 12,175 automobiles.

However, when looking at the Euro zone alone, the Dacia brand was one of the few that recorded a hike in sales, with 8.3% more cars sold this February than February a year before, or 9,120 in absolute figures, which made Dacia get 0.9% of the market share, from 0.7% a year before.

Romania went down the third place, in terms of European markets Dacia sells most, with France and Germany taking the first two positions.

As for the Dacia maker in Mioveni, Romania, it will stay for the moment at 1,200 units per day production rate. The management explained that it has orders for taking the daily production rate to 1,360 units, but it cannot hire the 1,000 people needed to meet that demand, as it is not sure if that is going to last or not.

In the last four months the Dacia car maker stopped operating a total of 30 days
In June Dacia will put on the market the Sandero brand, with a Diesel engine. Also in summer, Dacia car maker will make available for the domestic buyers the Logan Sedan and Sandero models with 1.2 liter gasoline engines.

The company invested last year 104 million Euro and plans to invest the same amount this year in the sixth model it will put on the market, deemed to be an SUV.

Dacia profits recorded last year will not be turned to dividends, the shareholders decided, but stay in Romania for future investments.