Czech 2006 new car and light utility registrations climb 4.24 percent

Registrations of new cars and light utility vehicles rose by more than 4 percent to over 170,000 in the Czech Republic in 2006 compared with the previous year, the Association of Car Importers announced on Friday. Registration of new cars fell by 2.7 percent but those of light utility vehicles soared by almost 27 percent over the same period, it added. Local car maker, Skoda Auto, part of the Volkswagen Group, topped both categories, accounting for almost 42 percent of new car registrations and 24 percent of light utility vehicles. Skoda Auto's Fabia was the most popular model of the key small car segment of the market.