MILAN -- New-car sales in Italy fell 11 percent in July, according to data from the country’s transport ministry, as buyers waited for government incentives coming in August to buy a new car.
There were 136,455 registrations in the month, the ministry said.
Sales fell 23 percent in June, the first full month in which dealer showrooms were open again after coronavirus restrictions. Showrooms gradually reopened starting May 4 after being closed for nearly two months.
Sales were down 42 percent through July to 720,620 units. Market researcher Dataforce forecasts total sales of 1.225 million for the year, a 700,000-unit drop from 2019.
The Italian government has introduced a stimulus program to support car sales that started August 1. The program provides 3,500 euros ($4,125) for buyers who scrap cars that are at least 10 years old and buy a Euro 6-certified vehicle with CO2 emissions of up to 110 grams per kilometer, with a price of up to 40,000 euros. Dealers will contribute 2,000 euros of the incentive money.
In addition, the government is offering incentives of up to 8,000 euros for buyers of zero-emissions vehicles.
The Italian economic minister, Roberto Gualtieri, has said that a further economic stimulus plan to be approved this month, with measures totaling up to 25 billion euros, will include more money for the auto sector.