Germany's scrappage scheme is continuing to help the country's car dealers, with sales increasing by 19.4 per cent in April.
Last month's figures of 380,000 units, which follow a 40 per cent rise in March, mean that Germany's sales for the first four months of the year are the strongest since 1999.
The German scheme has been sufficiently popular for the government to invest extra money; instead of the original investment of €1.5bn (£1.3bn), the German state is to sink €5bn (£4.4bn) into the process.
The German increase contrasts sharply with Europe-wide falls in car sales. The figures in Italy and France were down in April, despite scrappage schemes in both countries. But the Spanish government faces mounting pressure to introduce a scheme of its own, after sales there fell for the 12th month in a row.
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