BERLIN: European car sales rose 6.5% to a nine-year high in 2016, propelled by pent-up demand amid a recovering economy, as French manufacturer Renault SA took advantage of market leader Volkswagen AG’s diesel-emissions scandal to leap from third place to second.
Registrations increased to 15.1 million vehicles last year from 14.2 million in 2015, the Brussels-based European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, or ACEA, said Tuesday. Deliveries at Renault grew 12%, almost twice the market rate, as the company drew buyers with an updated lineup including a new Megane hatchback.