Paris - Sales of new passenger cars in France as measured by auto registrations plunged by 13.1 per cent in February, the Committee of French Autmobile Producers (CCFA) announced on Monday.

The decline hit both domestic brands and foreign-made vehicles. Sales of Peugeot cars fell by nearly 20 per cent in February, while the struggling General Motors subsidiary Opel saw sales in France decline by 35 per cent.

Only the Korean brand Hyundai (up 3.9 per cent) and Italian manufacturer Fiat (plus 0.3 per cent) saw sales rise in February, the CCFA said.

Including light utility vehicles, the French new-car market shrank by 14.8 per cent last month. (dpa)