Car production in 2009 was at its lowest level in Europe since 1996, it has been reported.

The report from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) showed that, compared with 2008, European production levels decreased by 17.3 per cent.

They were also lower than the pre-economic crisis levels of 2007, which were 23 per cent higher than those in 2009.

Passenger car production levels were at their lowest in 14 years with production 13 per cent lower, which brought the number of cars produced down to 13.4 million units across Europe.

Demand for passenger cars was boosted by fleet renewal and scrappage schemes in the EU, however, sales fell by 1.3 per cent last year.

In the fourth quarter of 2009, production levels of cars were up by 22.8 per cent on the last quarter of 2008, according to figures from the ACEA, which represents the interests of European car, truck and bus manufacturers at EU-level.

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