The Automotive Distribution Market in Europe by 2030
Growth markets and strategic challenges for car dealers and distributors
Latest figures on the market and competition
Our 2030 forecasts and detailed country-by-country data
Top 50 groups in Europe
Financial data for Europe's top 200 companies
An operational format with 30 slides of insights and a detailed 200-page report
Access to the complete report database
4500 €
In this report :
Analysis of the market and its outlook to 2030
This study provides all the figures you need to understand the trends and dynamics of the automotive market in Europe. What are the real growth prospects for distributors between now and 2030, in the face of the manufacturers' return to distribution, the digitalisation of the purchasing process, the electrification of the fleet and changes in demand? And what are the strategies of the major groups in the sector?
Identify regions and countries with strong potential
Xerfi has compiled a score of the most attractive European countries for car dealers. Using a dozen or so competitiveness indicators, it provides an unprecedented insight into where dealers should give priority to setting up operations. Which markets have the greatest potential? What are the strengths and characteristics of the different countries?
Deciphering the competition and its evolution
The report provides a detailed map of the competition, including a ranking of the top 50 retail groups market share, positioning, identity cards for the leaders and financial data for the top of the top 200 European companies. Who are the most successful retailers? And which groups are benefiting from the current consolidation trends?
Detailed plan
Report scope and market overview
Revenues from motor vehicle distribution in Europe reached nearly €1,000 billion in 2024, making it a key component of the continent’s automotive market size. While new vehicle sales represent the bulk of turnover for dealerships, their activity also includes used vehicle sales, servicing, and a growing role in the aftermarket segment—particularly through the sale of replacement products and maintenance operations.
The sector remains highly fragmented, despite ongoing consolidation efforts. The Swiss group Emil Frey, Europe’s leading car distributor, accounts for just over 2% of new vehicle registrations, a modest figure compared to the upstream market shares of major OEMs (original equipment manufacturers). This underlines the imbalance of power between wholesale distributors and manufacturers.
Europe’s leading dealer groups are pursuing aggressive growth strategies to gain leverage. Mergers and acquisitions have accelerated, aiming to reshape the competitive landscape. Between 2018 and 2023, the Swedish group Hedin Mobility increased its revenue by 3.4 times, becoming the third-largest distributor in Europe behind Penske Automotive. Other fast-growing groups like BymyCar, Semler, Feser and Maurin have also more than doubled their activity. This growth is driven not only by scale ambitions but also by the need to invest in new consumer models: leasing, subscriptions, and the full digitalisation of the vehicle buying journey.
The push for consolidation is also a response to the prolonged crisis in the European car market. In 2024, new vehicle sales in Europe were still 18% below 2019 levels. No major national market—Germany, the UK, France or Italy—has returned to pre-pandemic volumes. This slowdown reflects persistent challenges, including consumer hesitation toward fully electric vehicles, leading many households to delay purchases or shift to the used car market.
In some thirty slides, the executive summary gives access to the conclusions of the study on the market outlook to 2030, competition dynamics and strategic challenges.
The drivers and fundamentals of the European markets : the standard of living of households in each country, the methods of financing the purchase of a vehicle, the number of cars on the road, the breakdown of the car fleet by age and type of engine, the number of recharging points for electric vehicles in each country, etc.
Figures for the new car market in Europe in 2024 : the number of registrations by country, by engine, by body type and by brand. Ranking of the best-selling models in 2024.
Key figures for the used car market in 2024 : prices and sales of used cars in 5 key countries (United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy and Spain).
The fundamentals of motor vehicle distribution, country by country : revenue, number of dealers, number of employees, gross margin and average EBITDA.
Xerfi's 2030 forecasts for the distributor market and revenues
- Managing the prolonged cohabitation of internal combustion engines and electric motors
- Adapting to the ageing of new car buyers
- Remaining indispensable in the age of direct sales and digital technology
- Scaling up to compete with manufacturers
- Making second-hand a driver of loyalty and margins
- Leveraging emerging brands to regain ground
- Adapting the financing offer to a more mobile and less solvent customer base
The exclusive ranking of the most attractive countries for setting up car dealerships
Country rankings based on ten or so competitiveness criteria
- Market potential: size and dynamics of the domestic market, outlook to 2030
- Accessibility of the sector: number of large companies and average distributor revenue
- Economic environment: labour costs, employee productivity and corporate tax rates
The 14 attractiveness profiles for the main countries : Germany, Italy, France, United Kingdom, Poland, Spain, Netherlands, Romania, Czech Republic, Belgium, Sweden, Portugal, Austria, Denmark
The forces at work in European car retailing : rankings, market share, positioning and location of the top 50 independent groups; overview of the main used car specialists and key figures for carmaker branch networks.
Key groups : Emil Frey, Penske Automotive, Hedin Mobility, Van Mossel, Arnold Clark, Inchcape, Vertu Motors, AMAG, D'leteren Auto, Lookers, Aramis Group, Auto1 Group
Top 200 companies in Europe : location, revenue, Ebitda, gross margin
Companies covered
Tables and charts
Related reports
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