Portuguese Auto Market has marginally improved – up 2.4% – in 2018 with registrations at 227.441, keeping the positive trend of recent years. Renault is the market leader, ahead of Peugeot and Mercedes.
Economic Environment
Economic growth halved in the third quarter from the second quarter’s export-driven expansion, owing to a weaker showing from the external sector overriding stronger domestic demand. In particular, exports contracted, likely due to the Eurozone’s broad-based slowdown. Going into the fourth quarter, the picture remains downbeat as the number of tourists from overseas slipped towards the end of the January–October period, marking the first cumulative drop following years of record growth.
Growth is expected to edge down in 2019, mainly due to a weaker external sector, reflecting a deceleration in export growth amid a wider downturn in the Eurozone, and less dynamic imports. Moreover, domestic demand is expected to lose strength, with fixed investment expected to lose steam amid less favorable financing conditions due to the European Central Bank’s move to tighten its monetary policy stance.
Market Trend
Portuguese vehicles market was hit by a huge crisis in the 2008 losing 75% of volume. However, since 2012 a strong recovery is in place and in the last five years car passenger’s sales doubled from 95.000 in the 2012 to 207.315 in the 2016.
Despite with a more moderate speed, the market continued to grow and after improving 7.1% in the 2017 with 220.000 sales and additional 2.4% was gained in the 2018 with sales at 227.441. However, following the September WLTP introduction, the Q4 was almost negative and the start of the 2019 is seen with troubles while is likely that 2019 will end the ten years growth.
Competitive Arena
Brand-wise, unchanged the leader from the 2017 with Renault on top of the list with 29.905 sales (-0.7%).
In second place Peugeot with 22.716 sales (+7.6%) followed by Mercedes with 16.301 sales (+0.2%) ahead Nissan with 14.820 (+14.2%), BMW with 13.893 (-4.3%), BMW with 13.687 (+13.8%), Volkswagen with 12.772 (-22.5%), Opel with 13.186 (-3.3%), Citroen with 10.782 (+17.9%) and in 10th place Toyota with 8.528 (+17.8%).
Tables with sales figures
In the tables below we report sales for all brands.
