The Volkswagen group reported a 10.2% rise in worldwide deliveries for January to August 2012 “despite the difficult situation on some markets”, handing over 5.91m vehicles.
It also booked a delivery record for August: this was the first time 719,500 units (up 18.9%) were shifted in the month.
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“We are satisfied with the group’s continued good performance. However, the situation on world markets is still unsettled. While developments in America, eastern Europe and Asia remain stable, we are monitoring the continued tense situation, particularly in western Europe, very closely,” sales head Christian Klingler said in Wolfsburg on Friday (14 September).
Asia-Pacific region sales in the first eight months rose 17.9% to 1.98m with 1.74m (+17.9%)sold in China, the region’s largest single market.
North America region sales rose 24.5% to 535,200 with 380,000 (+33.3%) of those in the United States. South America sales were up 9.5% to 678,600.
Overall European sales inched up only 1.7% to 2.47m. In western Europe (excluding Germany), sales fell 5.5% to 1.25m but German sales were up 4.1% to to 792,300 units.
In contrast, the company again recorded high growth in central and eastern Europe, where volume was up 25.2% to 426,800 of which 206,900 alone (up 53.4%) were delivered in Russia, the region’s largest single market.
Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand sales rose 11.2% to 3.72m; Audi was up 12.7% to 961,000; Porsche, which became a group brand on 1 August, 10,900 vehicles in the month; Škoda sales rose 8.5% to 633,300 and SEAT volume fell 11% to 210,200, due mainly to shrinking markets in western Europe though it did grow 13.7% to 40,000 in Germany, 4.9% to 23,300 in the UK and 21.8% to 13,700 in Mexico.
