Berlin  - New European passenger car registrations slumped by 9.5 per cent in March, data released Tuesday showed, as rising oil prices and growing economic uncertainty kept consumers away from car showrooms.

The March fall resulted in car registrations dropping by 1.7 per cent during the first three months of the year compared with the same period in 2007, the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) said releasing the figures.

The decline in car sales also came despite continuing solid growth in the auto markets in Central and Eastern Europe.

While monthly registrations in Western Europe dropped by 10.2 per cent during March, registrations in Central and Eastern Europe rose by 3.5 per cent last month.

This brought the increase in the first quarter in Central and Eastern Europe to 14.7 per cent.

"In a context of economic uncertainty generated by the US financial crisis, car sales in Western Europe were affected most by the decline," the ACEA said, noting that the early Easter holiday break also had hit car sales. (dpa)