FRANKFURT: New car registrations in Germany, a key indicator of demand in Europe’s top economy, rose in January, data showed on Tuesday. A total of 218,400 new cars were registered last month, an increase of three per cent compared with the figure for the same month in 2015 and the highest level for January since 2008, according to data compiled by the automakers’ federation VDA. “The German car market got off to a good start in the new year, continuing on from the trend seen in recent months,” said VDA President Matthias Wissmann. “New registrations in January were higher than they have been since 2008. That makes us confident for the coming months,” Wissmann said.