The co-chairman said the precedent in other countries, which recouped in 3-4 years, involved industry and state support in the form of price, financing and tax preferences all of which helped the sector.

The number of new cars sold stands at an annual 77,000, a figure well below 2008’s 182,000, Eppel noted. Eppel also mentioned that government talks are underway on how to boost tax morale among car mechanics, who fail to pay HUF 40-50 billion a year into the budget.