MILAN: European car buyers appear reluctant to punish Volkswagen for its emissions scandal, penalising the German automaker’s sales last month no more than some of its mass-market competitors. The European car market expanded 2.9 per cent in October, topping 1.1 million units as growth slowed in all major markets, according to new figures released on Tuesday by the European carmakers’ association ACEA. The expansion marked the 26th straight month of growth, albeit sluggishly with two of the biggest markets, France and Germany, growing by just one per cent, and Britain contracting by as much. Volkswagen remained the top seller, commanding a quarter of the market, in the first full month of figures since it acknowledged cheating on US diesel emissions tests. Volkswagen brand sales slipped 0.2 per cent, while all of Volkswagen group sales — including the brands SEAT, Skoda, Porsche, Audi and Lamborghini — dropped 0.5 per cent.