The Renault Group has reported that it has maintained a stable market share of 3.7% for car and LCV, but sales were down 16.5% in a global car and LCV market that fell 16.5%.

In Europe, it reported a steady car market share of 8.4%, which it says can be attributed to rising market share in the second quarter: 8.8% compared with 7.9% in the first quarter.

It remained number one in the LCV market in first-half 2009, a position it has held for more than 11 years, increasing its market share by 0.6 points to 14.8%.

However, in a falling European market (-10.6% for car), the Renault Group (-10.7%) maintained market share of 8.4%.

In the main European markets, it increased its share of the car market in Germany (+ 0.8 points on the back of a 47.6% surge in sales), Spain (+0.5 points) and Belgium (+0.8 points).

In France, however, it reported a 0.5 point loss in car market share, following a fall in short-term leasing sales in the first half of the year (-14,000 cars).

The Group also lost car market share in Italy (- 0.5 points) and in the UK (-2.2 points), following the decision to scale down sales through non-profitable channels after the strong depreciation of the pound sterling.