European car sales sink for 5th straight month European car sales have fallen for the sixth straight month, amid modest increases in three key markets

MILAN -- European car sales have fallen for the sixth straight month, amid modest increases in three key markets.

The European Automobile Manufacturers' Association said Friday that new car registrations in February totaled 1.114 million, down 1 percent from 1.125 million a year earlier.

The Brussels-based association says car sales showed a slight recovery in Germany, France and Britain. They fell by nearly 9 percent in Spain and by 2.4 percent in Italy.

Sales at Porsche plunged 44 percent and Audi slipped by 7 percent.

Volkswagen Group sales were down by 0.7 percent, though the mass-market VW brand showed a 3.5 percent increase.

French carmakers PSA Peugeot and Renault both bucked the trend with increased group sales, while Italian-American carmaker FCA Group posted a 5 percent decline.