Mazda Sales Up In 14 European Countries In March

DARTFORD, UNITED KINGDOM – April 21, 2010: Mazda Motor Europe closed out a challenging fiscal year last month (April 2009 through March 2010) with 14 countries achieving year-on-year growth in difficult market conditions.

Retail sales were at record levels in two European countries. Poland, Mazda’s newest national sales company, set records for volume at 420 units (+14 percent) and for estimated market share, at 1.4 percent, while Hungary achieved its best monthly share ever, predicted to be 3.1 percent.

Several other countries reported good year-on-year results as well. In the UK Mazda achieved its second-highest March volume ever for passenger cars, selling 10,200 units (+20 percent); in Austria retail sales stood at 1,900 units (+6 percent), and in Spain volume was 1,300 units (+35 percent). Mazda also did well in Switzerland where a volume of 970 units (+40 percent) was achieved, in the Netherlands where Mazda sold 950 cars (+112 percent) and at Mazda BELUX (Belgium and Luxembourg) with a volume of 800 units (+51 percent).

Denmark led the way in Scandinavia with a retail volume of 570 units (+7 percent), followed by Sweden with 490 units (+1.2 percent) and Norway where Mazda sold 390 units in March (+22 percent). In Ireland Mazda achieved a volume of 420 units in March (+171 percent), Slovenia recorded its second-highest March volume ever of 170 units (+3 percent), as did Malta which increased sales by 19 percent based on a volume of 20 units.