In April this year, Spain's total motor vehicle output amounted to 185,530 units, rising by 20.2 percent year on year, according to the data reported by the Spanish Automobile and Truck Manufacturers' Association (ANFAC). The association noted that the increase in motor vehicle output was due to the rise in exports. Meanwhile, in the first four months of the year Spain's total motor vehicle output amounted to 742,817 units, rising by 3.3 percent year on year.
Within the scope of ANFAC's plan targeting an annual motor vehicle output capacity of 3 milion units, Spanish factories invested more than €3 billion last year and more investments are expected this year. ANFAC also noted that Spain's trade balance was positive in March for the first time ever, with the country's automotive sector making an essential contribution. In the month of April, Spanish vehicle exports recorded an increase of 21.5 percent to 160,228 units, while in the first four months of the year motor vehicle exports increased by 5.2 percent, totaling 641,521 units, both year on year. The year-on-year increase was mainly due to the 8.1 percent rise in passenger car exports in the first four months this year compared to the January-April period of 2012.
According to the ANFAC announcement, although Spain's main export markets are still Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom, the diversification of destinations has improved and this opens new avenues for the future. In 2012, countries like Algeria, Turkey, Russia and Mexico began to appear in the top 10 Spanish export destinations.
In the given month, the Spanish passenger car segment recorded an increase of 27.25 percent year on year in output, totaling 149,456 units. In the January-April period, the passenger car segment recorded an increase of 6.3 percent year on year in output, totaling 592,591 units.
