European car registrations rose slightly in September, the first increase this year, industry data showed on Friday, suggesting a recovery in the auto sector in some European markets where coronavirus infections were lower. In September, new car registrations rose by 1.1% year-on-year to 1.3 million vehicles in the European Union, Britain and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries, statistics from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) showed. Europe’s five largest markets, however, posted mixed results. Spain, the United Kingdom and France reported losses, while registrations rose in Italy and Germany, the data showed. Volkswagen Group’s and Renault sales rose by 14.1% and 8.1% in September respectively, while PSA Group reported a drop of 14.1%. Luxury automakers posted losses in September with BMW’s sales falling 11.9% and rival Daimler’s reporting a 7.7% drop. In the first nine months of the year, sales dropped by 29.3% as the coronavirus lockdown forced carmakers to close showrooms across Europe.