The auto market to stabilize at 400,000 cars in 2010-2012

“There is a need for motorization in Romania.  It is likely that the market will make a comeback in the 2010-2012 period, and stabilize at some 350,000 to 400,000 cars. Romania is not an annual 200,000 automobile market,” said Matei Albulescu, Brand Manager for Volkswagen available through Porsche Romania.

The Volkswagen representative’s opinion is shared by the President of the Automotive Manufacturers and Importers Association (APIA), Ernest Popovici, who believes that the market freeze will end in the first quarter in 2010.

“Since we have had years with sales of over 350,000 automobiles, I do not see why we cannot sell that many cars again. We are expecting a market comeback at the beginning of next year, after the 2009 state of expectation ends and bankers reinitiate lending,” added Popovici.

The new automobile market dropped 65 percent in January 2009 year-on-year, to 8,178 units, with major drops registered for compact and small cars, of 65.8 and 61.7 percent, respectively.

Last year’s auto market dropped 11.7 percent, to over 324,000 units, shattering dealer expectations that they would sell some 400,000 cars.  Players on the market believe that the total number of auto sales this year will not exceed 220,000 units.