EUROPEAN car dealers sold 13.16 million new vehicles last year, according to a new report produced by Harbour Wade Brown in association with FNN's sister company Sewells International

The report - The European Car Distribution Handbook - reveals there are around 60,000 main dealer outlets in the European Union, and 39,800 more sub-dealers tied into manufacturers through 58,494 car franchise agreements. And while those figures add up to big business, they also reveal how fragile and fragmented the retail motor industry is throughout Europe.

The report shows that UK dealers are the most efficient in terms of vehicle throughput with main dealers averaging 327 vehicles and all sites averaging 285 units. The report analyses the size and structure of every franchise. The European Car Distribution Handbook costs £495 and is available from Sewells International on 01733 467191.