The German car market remained below its 2020 level in the first quarter, signing its worst start to the year since reunification, weighed down by the lasting impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, according to official data released on Thursday.
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In total, 656,452 new cars were registered in the largest European economy between January and March, 6.4% less than in 2020 and a quarter lower than in 2019, according to figures from the Federal Automobile Office. (KBA). Compared with March 2020, when the lockdown led to a historic 37.7% drop in auto sales, registrations rose 35.9% to 292,349, a number still 15% below the pre-crisis level.