Volkswagen Group Reports Another Rise in Already High Delivery Levels

WOLFSBURG, Germany, Feb. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Volkswagen Group began 2012 with a rise in deliveries. The company sold 652,500 (January 2011: 644,200)* vehicles in January, an increase of 1.3 percent. "We have made an encouraging start, but 2012 will be a challenging year. As expected, the prevailing economic uncertainty is impacting the automotive industry. We will continue to keep a very close eye on the market situation, particularly in Europe", the Group Board Member for Sales, Christian Klingler, said in Wolfsburg on Friday.

Developments on world markets varied

The dynamic sales situation for the Volkswagen Group in the North America region continued in January, with the Group handing over 53,500 (41,900; +27.7 percent) vehicles to customers, of which 36,700 (26,300; +39.5 percent) units were delivered in the United States, the region's largest single market – making this the best January since 1974. The Group also grew deliveries in the South America region, where customers took possession of 78,100 (74,700; +4.6 percent) new vehicles in the first month of the year.

Deliveries in the Asia / Pacific region remained largely stable. In January, 233,500 (239,500; -2.5 percent) vehicles were handed over there. In China, the largest single market, deliveries were not quite able to match last year's high level due to the Chinese New Year festival, and decreased slightly to 208,200 (217,900; -4.5 percent) units. However, as the overall Chinese passenger car market contracted by roughly 13 percent, the Volkswagen Group was able to further expand its position. In India, deliveries increased by 28.4 percent to 9,400 (7,400) vehicles.

On the overall European market, which was in part characterized by major uncertainty, deliveries by the Volkswagen Group remained generally stable at 259,900 (262,500; -1.0 percent) units. While customers in Western Europe (excluding Germany) showed slightly greater caution than a year earlier, purchasing 144,400 (156,700; -7.8 percent) vehicles, deliveries in Central and Eastern Europe grew by 33.6 percent to 41,400 (31,000) units. In its home market of Germany, the Volkswagen Group delivered 74,100 (74,800; -1.0 percent) vehicles.

Outline of developments at Group brands

At 419,200 (418,600; +0.1 percent) units, worldwide deliveries by the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand in January matched the high level of the previous year. The brand developed particularly well in the United States, where 27,200 (18,400; +47.9 percent) vehicles were handed over to customers. Volkswagen Passenger Cars delivered 16,800 (10,000) vehicles in the Central and Eastern Europe region during the same period, an increase of 67.0 percent.

Audi delivered 96,100 (95,400) vehicles worldwide in January, representing a slight increase of 0.8 percent on the same month last year. The premium brand from Ingolstadt benefited among other things from continued strong growth in China, where 27,200 (22,200; +22.6 percent) vehicles were delivered, and the United States, where 9,400 (7,800; +19.7 percent) units were handed over to customers.

The Czech automaker SKODA also remained on its growth trajectory in January, delivering 75,400 (68,400; +10.2 percent) units. The company developed particularly well on the overall European market, where 47,200 (41,700; +13.1 percent) customers took possession of a new vehicle. In Central and Eastern Europe, SKODA grew deliveries by 17.2 percent to 17,900 (15,300) units.

The Spanish brand SEAT delivered 21,700 (25,700; -15.4 percent) vehicles worldwide in January. In the present difficult climate on European markets, the company handed over 17,900 (22,400; -20.2 percent) vehicles to customers. Deliveries in Germany were encouraging, with customers taking possession of 3,600 (3,500; +4.5 percent) models there, as were deliveries in the UK, where 2,600 (2,400; +9.8 percent) customers chose a SEAT.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles reported a 10.5 percent increase in January, delivering 39,500 (35,700) light commercial vehicles. 8,800 (7,500; +18.1 percent) units were handed over to customers in the home market of Germany. Deliveries in the remaining European countries also developed very well, with the figure for Europe as a whole totaling 23,300 (21,100; +10.6 percent) vehicles.

*) excluding MAN and Scania

SOURCE Volkswagen AG