Drivers shy away from car purchases
A new Volkswagen Golf is seen stored at a distribution center abroad in this file photo. Data released yesterday showed that the number of new cars sold in the first seven months of the year in Greece fell by an annual pace of 23.5 percent, as consumers put off vehicle purchases due to the crisis. Data released by the National Statistical Service (NSS) showed that 185,043 new and used cars from abroad joined the traffic on Greek roads between January to July. The respective growth rate in 2008 stood at minus 2 percent. In a bid to help boost growth and jobs in the car market, the government announced in April a 50 percent cut in the registration tax on new cars and motorcycles, which is applicable until the end of this week.
