German car production takes a dive

The measures for containing the coronavirus pandemic are causing huge distortions in Germany’s passenger car production, Kallanish hears from automotive association VDA.

The country’s carmakers at their domestic plants built 287,900 cars in March, -37% less than in the corresponding 2019 month. Production during the first quarter came to 1.0 million units, a drop of -20% year-on-year. Exports are suffering similarly, VDA says. Last month, 234,500 new passenger cars were supplied to customers around the world (-32% y-o-y). In the first three months, 771,300 vehicles were exported (-21% y-o-y).

A year-on year decline could already be felt in the first two months, before the effect of the coronavirus kicked in. Domestic plants lost -12% output in February, and -10% in the first two months accumulated, with 730,000 units produced.