European car sales surge to record high on buying frenzy

Improved market: Workers complete car bodies at the assembly line of a Volkswagen plant in Zwickau, Germany. European passenger-car registrations rose 21% to 1.26 million vehicles in December. — AP

MUNICH: European car sales jumped to a record in December, fuelled by an end-of-the-year buying frenzy ahead of tough new emission penalties for automakers and changes in consumer incentive programmes.

Passenger-car registrations rose 21% to 1.26 million vehicles, according to a statement from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association. The double-digit gain was enough to push annual sales 1.2% higher to 15.8 million, reversing the previous year’s slight drop.