Europe auto sales down 7.4pc in Feb

European car sales fell a sharp 7.4 percent to just under one million in February, industry data showed Wednesday.

The figures for March, when the full impact of the coronavirus outbreak should be seen, are widely expected to be much worse.

European car sales totalled 957,000 in February, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers' association (ACEA).

In the biggest markets, sales in Germany were down 10.8 percent, Italy 8.8 percent, Spain 6.0 percent and France shed 2.7 percent.

The downturn reflects strong sales at the end of last year when many people replaced their older, more polluting vehicles before the introduction of new, tighter EU emissions standards this year, ACEA said.

Higher auto taxes coming into effect in 2020 may also have had a similar impact on sales.

ACEA also noted a broader weakness in the global economy as having a dampening effect, even before the draconian measures being taken to tackle the coronavirus outbreak.

The pandemic has seen many top makers -- among them VW, the biggest -- suspending production for weeks to come.