The first-quarter 2007 share of diesel in Western European new car markets as a whole reached 52.4%, up from 50.2% a year earlier. It reached 50.8% in full-year 2006, having stood at 49.3% in 2005. Luxemburg (77.2% diesel), Belgium (77.0%) and France (73.8%) were the most diesel-intensive European markets last year.

The French automotive manufacturers association CCFA estimated that diesel vehicles accounted for 49.8% of the French car parc of 30.4m cars as at 1 January this year. Diesel cars accounted for 70% of new vehicle registrations in France in the first quarter of this year, while petrol cars accounted for 25% and hybrids for just 0.28%.