German car production improves in September

Germany’s carmakers produced 369,000 passenger vehicles in September, the highest number since the coronavirus brought assembly lines to a harsh stop.

By comparison, production in May was a mere 151,000 units, according to automotive industry association VDA. The output was likely even lower in April, the month when most plants stood still, but VDA refrained from giving a figure for that month.

In the first nine months of the year, production totalled 2.4 million units, which is a drop by -33% year-on-year, Kallanish hears from VDA. This is a relative improvement over the first half-year period, which saw output of just under 1.5 million vehicles, -40% less than in the first half of 2019. This marked the lowest passenger car production in 45 years, VDA notes.

Assuming a continued recovery in the second half, VDA expects full-year output to come to 3.5 million units, -25% less than in 2019.