VW left trailing behind rivals' sales surge after emissions scandal

Volkswagen lagged rivals’ sales growth in Europe last month as the German car giant continued to reel from the engine-rigging scandal.

VW grew sales by 4.5% in February — the slowest rise among Europe’s other big car brands. Peugeot and Citroen-owner PSA grew sales by 8.5%, BMW was up 8.7% and Renault rose 5.4%, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association.

Europe is enjoying a car-buying boom and recorded its 30th consecutive month of growth last month with sales up 14.3% compared with the prior year.

Economies which had previously been thought sluggish — such as Italy and Spain — are leading the surge, with February car sales respectively up 27% and 12.6% on a year before.

Sales from January to February in the UK rose 4.7% this year, lower than counterparts in France and Germany, which grew 8.7% and 7.8% respectively.

VW, Europe’s biggest car brand, has missed out on the surge after the diesel emissions scandal. The blue-chip German company admitted to rigging engines to cheat diesel emissions tests in the US.

US authorities filed a lawsuit against the group earlier this year, which could see it fined up to $22 billion (£15.6 billion).