European car sales to grow 2.1 pct in 2015 - carmakers group

(Adds details on forecast, ACEA president Ghosn's comment)

By Philip Blenkinsop

BRUSSELS, Feb 4 (Reuters) - European car sales are likely to rise by 2.1 percent this year, less than half last year's rate of growth, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) said on Wednesday.

Research conducted for ACEA by IHS Automotive envisages new car registrations increasing most strongly in Italy and Spain, followed by Germany, Britain and then other southern European nations, where pent-up demand is greatest.

"We welcome the year with cautious optimism," said ACEA President Carlos Ghosn, the CEO of Renault Nissan.

New (KOSDAQ: 160550.KQ - news) car registrations in Europe - an area defined by ACEA as broadly the European Union plus Norway and Switzerland - grew by 5.7 percent in 2014, the first year of growth since the financial crisis. December marked the 16th consecutive month of year-on-year expansion.

Still, at a total of 12.55 million registrations, new car sales are still well below their 2007 peak of some 16 million units.

Ghosn said one of the most promising segments was for light sport utility vehicles (SUVs), known as 'crossovers'.

"The trend has been there, but it is supported by the lower oil prices," he added.

Overall, the IHS (NYSE: IHS - news) study sees only limited benefit from lower oil prices, adding about 1 percent to global light vehicle demand, with less of an impact in Europe, where much of the pump price is tax.

The study forecasts global demand for light vehicles, which also includes vans, rising 2.4 percent. China, though slowing, would lead the expansion. Sales were likely to fall in the Middle East, Japan, Brazil and Argentina and Russia, the latter by some 27 percent. (Reporting by Philip Blenkinsop; editing by Susan Thomas)