European car sales rose 5.7% in March, industry data showed yesterday, helped by discounts and other incentives, although sales for Volkswagen’s core brand continued to fall in the wake of the emissions scandal.

Volkswagen lost market share in Europe for the sixth month in a row, in February, as the German carmaker’s diesel-emissions scandal pushed buyers to the likes of Fiat-Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz and Ford.

Leaked documents from Europe’s car industry suggest it got valuable information from the European Commission that allowed it to weaken emission tests despite the thousands of premature deaths caused by emissions.

The European Parliament’s environmental committee has voted against new car pollution rules they say are too lenient in the light of the Volkswagen scandal which exposed loopholes in existing emissions tests.

Corporate buyers and demand for mass-market car brands helped new car registrations in Europe increase 6.9% in April.

In 2014, European car sales rose for the first time in seven years as buyers replaced aging vehicles with low-cost ones. The market’s revival from a two-decade low is set to continue in 2015.

European car sales rose for the 12th consecutive month, as price cuts by manufacturers and demand for compact models from Ford and Volkswagen led to the longest stretch of growth on record.

EUROPEAN car sales rose 4.3% in May, the ninth consecutive monthly gain, as the recovery in consumer confidence continues on the back of new models from Renault and Volkswagen.

Adam Opel, the European brand of General Motors, is targeting second place in deliveries in the region in the coming years as new models attract buyers.

Peugeot Citroen recorded an historic €5bn loss last year after Europe’s slumping car market forced France’s largest manufacturer to take a €3bn financial charge in its annual accounts.

Ford is to close one of its main European factories in Belgium with the loss of more than 9,000 jobs.

BMW will build its next generation of Minis in Britain in a move that will help safeguard more than 5,000 jobs, the company said today.

Max Mosley is prepared to stand again as FIA president following what he describes as “wholly unjustified criticism” of world motor sport’s governing body.

Flavio Briatore has warned Max Mosley to drop the insults, bearing in mind the revelations about his own private life.

European car sales continued their year-long slide last month with only government handouts preventing a steeper fall, figures out today show.

New car registrations in Europe dropped 1.4% in August as rising interest rates and fuel costs deterred some consumers from buying new vehicles.

Europe’s car-makers were accused today of breaking their pledges on tackling climate change.

European car sales rose a meagre 1.2% last month as consumer confidence stagnated, according to data released by the Association of European Auto Manufacturers today.

ACEA, the Association of European Car Manufacturers, has reported that commercial vehicle registrations in West Europe dropped by 3% year on year to 531,720 units during the fourth quarter of 2003.

A massive blackout hit Italy today, cutting power to millions of Italians who woke up to find their phone lines silent and their televisions black.

Power went out across Italy before dawn today, plunging the nation into crisis.

New car sales in Western Europe were up by 2.9% last month.

The number of cars registered in western Europe fell by 2.9% last year despite strong December figures, as fears about the economy choked off demand.

Bull bars will be banned from all new cars under EU pedestrian safety plans due to be approved in Brussels today.

All of the major European car manufacturers say they're ready to set up their own championship to rival Formula One.