9,300 Romanians paid less than 10,000 euros for a car and 350 paid over 50,000 euros

Sales of cars cheaper than 10,000 euros, as well as those of cars with prices of above 50,000 euros dropped by 30% and 25%, respectively, in the first quarter, in the context where the market declined by around 45% in the same interval, according to the APIA statistical data. Late February saw the start of the old car scrappage scheme (Rabla), with a deep impact over sales of cheap cars and implicitly over first quarter figures. On the other hand, in the first two months the brands selling low-price models were seriously hurt by the reintroduction of the pollution tax and the announcement on the launch of the "Rabla" programme, both triggering an expectation period on the car market. This year, car market players are no longer expecting a sales boom in the second half of this year, but two booms, though both triggered by the old car scrappage scheme and by vouchers. Thus, after a boom in April, when the car market is likely to reach over 12,000 units, a second peak may come as late as September or October.