Brussels, 17/05/2011 (Agence Europe) - Demand for new cars in the EU (data for Cyprus and Malta unavailable) was 4.1% less in April than in the same month last year, at 1,089,118 units, according to the latest report by the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) which was published on Tuesday 17 May. Results showed a contraction of the major markets, except for Germany which recorded growth of 2.6% compared with April of last year. Demand was down 2.2% in Italy, 7.4% in the UK, 11.1% in France and 23.3% in Spain. From January to April 2011, the downturn recorded in the UK (8.5%), Italy (19.0%) and Spain (26.3%) resulted in a 2.7% decline compared with the same four-month period in 2010. Germany, Europe's largest market, registered over 1 million units in the first four months of 2011. France, with 817,211 new cars, a rise of 4.0%, came next. (A.By./transl.rt)