Volkswagen is experiencing one of its most successful business years ever and expects sales to grow further next year, despite the global economic downturn.
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Speaking at the Paris motor show today, Volkswagen chief executive Martin Winterkorn said he is expecting at least a small increase in sales in 2009, although he expects the vehicle market as a whole to stagnate, according to Automobilwoche.
Chief finance officer Hans Dieter Pötsch said he expects the first half year to be particularly difficult for the company and for the automotive industry as a whole.
Winterkorn said weak markets in the USA and western Europe should be offset by strong growth in emerging markets such as Russia or China. He would not give any specific figures, other than to restate that he expects last year’s over six million units in sales to be exceeded while profits should also improve.
Last year Volkswagen turned over almost EUR109bn and recorded a pre-tax profit of EUR6.5bn.
Volkswagen is showing a wide range of cars in Paris, including the new ‘Mark VI’ Golf, and a new ‘BlueTDI’ engine which, in the Passat, will help reduce average CO2 emissions to 128g/km, plus a hybrid ‘study’ version of the Audi A1 and a more fuel-efficient version of the A4.
At the performance end of the scale, VW is launching its redesigned sporty Golf GTI, an Audi S4 Avant developing more than 300 horsepower, and a Bentley with over 600 horsepower, plus a four-door Lamborghini concept and an open-top Bugatti Veyron.
