Western Europe: Crossover popularity props up diesels - More than half of Europe's new car buyers still see diesels as a safe haven

摘要

Last year, as in the year before, more than half the number of new cars sold in Western Europe were diesel powered. AID compiled figures for last year's sales of new passenger cars in Western Europe are showing that the sales share going to diesel-fuelled cars was virtually unchanged from a year ago at 55.3 per cent, with total 2012 diesel car sales slipping more or less in line with the market rate to some 6.5 million cars. That compares to 5.3 million same year sales of petrol fuelled cars. What these figures are saying is that the region's diesel car market, contrary to widely shared pessimistic expectations, has held up remarkably well. Why?