French new car registrations plunged 32.2pc to 126,381 units in January 2021 compared with 186,323 recorded in the prior month, according to the data published by the Comité des Constructeurs Français d’Automobiles (CCFA) on Feb 1.
Davis Index believes sales incentives and government subsidies are still likely propping up the domestic automotive industry, with new passenger vehicles sales only down 5.8pc compared with the same month the prior year.
Despite these incentives and subsidies, the latest sales figures largely reflect consumers reluctance to peruse sometimes crowded public showrooms to socially distance and avoid the possibility of exposure.
While the seven-day average of the number of new COVID-19 cases in France has plateaued at approximately 20,000 per day, the French government has yet to rule out a third national lockdown with a spokesperson saying it “is not inevitable”.