Balearic car sales plummet by 65.4 percent in March

Looking at sales over a quarterly period, figures during the first three months of this year fell by 56.2 percent in comparison with the same period in 2008 - more than 13 points above the State average. Across the country, car sales during March this year totalled 76'503 - 38.7 percent down on the same month in 2008. Sales of private cars and all-purpose vehicles reached 197'996 during the first quarter of 2009, a downturn of 43.1 percent in comparison with the same period last year. The falling off in trade doubles the decline experienced by other key European Union member states. Separate industry sources said that the decline in sales in absolute figures (down 150'000 vehicles in terms of 2008) puts car sales at their lowest level since 1993.