German new car registrations return to growth in 2014

New car registrations in Germany returned to growth in 2014 after shrinks in previous two years, the auto industry association VDA said on Monday.

In 2014, new car registrations increased by 3 percent year on year to a total of 3.036 million units, VDA said.

In 2013 and 2012, car sales in Germany fell by 4.2 percent and 2.9 percent respectively.

"The result of 2014 is slightly better than expected, but not a cause for celebration," VDA President Matthias Wissmann said, adding that demands could been higher in the car business given the good economic situation.

The number of employment in Germany hit record high in 2014. Germans' real earning also grew at the strongest rate in three years thanks to record low inflation.

VDA data showed that German auto market was dominated by home-grown brands, as they accounted for about 72 percent of total new registrations.

Thanks to strong demands from abroad, auto production in Germany also increased in 2014 by 3 percent to 5.623 million cars. Among them, 4.299 million cars, or 2 percent more than last year, were exported to foreign countries.