The Volkswagen Group began the year with a 14.9% increase in deliveries in January to 749,900 units.
“In particular the sizeable increase in China – due to the later Chinese New Year – helped the group achieve this January performance. For February, we expect a decline in deliveries in China as a result of this special effect. In Europe, the prevailing economic uncertainty continues to have a noticeable impact on market development and the group could not entirely escape this trend in January. On the other hand, we recorded slight growth in the North America region”, sales chief Christian Klingler said.
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“The fact remains that 2013 will also be a challenging year for the group.”
Deliveries in the Asia-Pacific region rose as a result of the special situation in China to 326,200 (233,500; +39.7%)vehicles. Of those, 298,300 (208,200; +43.3%) were in China, the region’s largest single market. As a result of the later Chinese New Year, deliveries in January were noticeably higher than for the same month last year but this effect will be reversed in February. In India, the company delivered 7,800 (9,400; -17.1%) vehicles.
North America sales were 62,600 (53,500; +17.0%) of which 42,700 (36,700; +16.2%) were delivered in the United States. The group delivered 77,300 (78,100; -0.9%) vehicles in South America, of which 55,400 (52,200; +6.2%) were in Brazil.
On the overall European market where major uncertainty still predominates, sales were 252,200 (259,900; -3.0%) of which 138,100 (144,400; -4.4%) units were for western Europe (excluding Germany). In central and eastern Europe, deliveries during the same period were 40,200 (41,400; -2.9%) units. In Germany sales were 73,900 (74,100; -0.2%) vehicles.
Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand sales were 491,900 (419,100; +17.4%) units in January.
Audi delivered 111,800 (96,100) vehicles worldwide in January, a rise of 16.3%.
Porsche, which became a group brand last August, delivered 12,100 vehicles in January.
Škoda made 69,500 (75,400) sales in the first month of the year; the decline of 7.8% was attributed to the launch of the new Octavia.
SEAT delivered 25,900 (21,700; +19.1%) vehicles worldwide in January.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles delivered 37,900 (39,500; -4.0%) light commercial vehicles in January.
