- Japanese automobile production for passenger cars fell 24.2% in the first quarter of 2020, compared to the first quarter of 2019, which had been stable compared to the first quarter of 2018.

- April 2020 was very poor (-49.7%), much worse than March (-18%), February (-18.5%) or January (-11.3%). The coronavirus crisis did indeed start later in Japan than in China, and even in Europe or the United States, and the impact on sales and production was therefore felt mainly from April.

- The restart of the various Japanese factories should take place in May, which will allow the revival of production in the country, especially since demand on foreign markets is also expected to accelerate, which should boost exports.

- According to our information, there is no problem of overstocking in Japan today as in Europe or problems of restocking of stocks, therefore the rhythm of Japanese production should acquire a normal rhythm in the next months for s '' accelerate the following months.

- Taking into account the expected development of the Japanese market until the end of 2020 and that of the various export markets, the volume of production should drop by between 10% and 15% over the whole of this year.

- The European passenger car market fell 26.3% in the first quarter of 2020, which is better than the Chinese market (-45.4%), but less than the American (-11.1%), Japanese markets. (-10.0%) or Indian (-22.1%).

- Regarding the European market, we observe that the countries most affected by the coronavirus are among the countries where car sales fell the most during the quarter. Thus, Italy (-35.4%), France (-34.1%), the United Kingdom (-31.0%) and Spain (-31.0%) see their automotive market s '' collapse even more dramatically than the European market as a whole.

- The countries which resisted the best were rather the countries located in the East of Europe, those located in the North of Europe (Scandinavia) as well as Germany and the Netherlands. These countries have been little affected by the coronavirus.

- Only Austria is a special case, as its market fell by 32.3% while the country was little affected by the coronavirus.

- This observation could lead at the end of the year to a two-speed Europe: a Europe little affected by the pandemic with a relatively moderate drop in its registrations and whose economy will restart faster, and a Europe more affected by the pandemic with a sharp drop in its registrations and whose economy will restart more slowly, due to a longer confinement atrophying the industrial and commercial sectors.

- This scenario obviously excludes a second wave of the pandemic which could possibly occur at the end of the second quarter of 2020 or in the second half of 2020.

- The Renault group was experiencing difficulties long before the coronavirus crisis, since its global sales had decreased in 2019, and the Renault-Nissan Alliance had lost its first place to fall to third.

- The Covid-19 crisis amplified the phenomenon and the Renault group recently announced the cessation of unprofitable models (Scénic, Talisman, Espace, Koléos) and the implementation of a new strategy on electric motorization which would focus more on the Zoe alone, but which would be multiplied towards all the other segments, thus taking inspiration from the strategy of the Volkswagen group which announced the successive launch of the ID3, ID4, then the ID2, ID1 and ID5…

- The Renault group has thus announced the next launch of a 100% electric sedan in segment C and three 100% electric SUV in different segments (B, C, D).

- It is in this context that the manufacturer announced the closure of the assembly plants of Dieppe and Flins, because the arrival of 100% electric cars will not compensate for the removal of the four models mentioned above, given that sales of electric cars are still weak (less than 10% of the market).

- The Dieppe factory assembled the Alpine (in small series), while the Flins factory assembled the Zoé and Micra (the Clio having been transferred to Slovenia), models whose sales remain below target. The Micra could be transferred to Sunderland and the Zoé to the Douai plant, which will lose three models but recover three others.

- Despite the containment and closed dealerships, Toyota has unveiled its new B-segment SUV, the new Yaris Cross, derived from the Yaris sedan introduced last year.

- This new model, more compact than the CHR, rivals the Nissan Juke, Renault Captur, Peugeot 2008, DS 3 Crossback, Skoda Kamiq and future Opel Mokka.

- It will be manufactured on the French site of Onnaing, alongside the Yaris sedan, at the rate of 150,000 units per year, which should allow the production of a comparable quantity of Yaris sedans on the same site. If demand is higher than expected, Toyota has already announced that part of the Yaris sedans will be produced at the Czech site in Kolin.

- The Yaris Cross is based like the Yaris sedan on the TNGA (New Global Architecture) platform which is also used by the Corolla, Prius, CHR and RAV4.

- Its engines are those mounted on the Yaris sedan, including the 1.5 hybrid engine which should represent the majority of sales of the Yaris Cross. The Toyota group has also announced the factory release of its 15 millionth hybrid vehicle, all models combined. With the new model unveiled today, Toyota has four SUVs in different segments in Europe: Yaris Cross (segment B), CHR (segment C), RAV4 (segment D) and Land Cruiser (segment E).

- Inovev plans 150,000 units per year of the new Toyota Yaris Cross.