OREANDA-NEWS. The Russian automotive market, which showed double-digit growth for the first time in many years, nevertheless fell out of the top-five of European leaders, by skipping ahead Spain.

According to the data obtained by the agency "AUTOSTAT" in the national associations of European automakers, Germany remains the sales leader in May, where 323,952 cars were sold (+ 13%). As noted in the Association of Automotive Industry of Germany (VDA), orders for new cars grew by 10% in the last month, which allows us to expect the sales growth in the future. Italy is in the second place, whose car dealers sold 204113 cars (+ 8%), by reaching a 9-year maximum.

The third result was shown by France – 191,419 cars, which is more by 9% than in the previous year. The United Kingdom is the next with an indicator of 186,265 sold cars (-9%). As it was noted by the British Society of Automobile Manufacturers and Auto Dealers (SMMT), the decline in demand is due to the introduction of new excises on vehicles from April 1st, as well as caution of British consumers on the eve of parliamentary elections. The top-five of leaders is closed by Spain, the car market of which grew by 11% in May.