China continues to be the market to watch in Asia with GM leading VW in sales.
The Volkswagen Group said today that it delivered more vehicles in the first six months of 2011 than eve before. A total of 4.09 million vehicles were delivered from VW, Škoda, Seat, Audi, Bentley and Porsche to customers worldwide from January to June of this year. (January – June 2010: 3.58; +14.1%)
Europe’s and Germany’s largest automaker performed noticeably better than the world market, which based on preliminary numbers grew by 6.1%. June sales were also strong, with 719,400 (June 2010: 644,300; +11.7%) vehicles sold.
“Delivery figures for the first half of the year are very satisfactory. Our performance demonstrates the strength of our model range,” the Group Board member for Sales Christian Klingler said in Wolfsburg on Friday. Klinger, while positive about the second half of 2011, declined to project full year results.
“Plenty of hard work lies ahead to keep our deliveries during the second half of the year at a high level,” Klingler commented.
The number of vehicles sold in the North America region year-to-date increased 21.2% to 319,100 (263,200) units, of which 211,100 (175,300; +20.4%) vehicles were delivered in the U.S. market. The Volkswagen Group sold 455,200 (410,600; +10.9%) vehicles to customers in the South America region during the same period.
The Group also reported strong numbers for the Asia / Pacific sales region. A total of 1.26 (1.05; +19.5%) million vehicles were sold in the first six months of the year, of which 1.11 (0.95; +16.4%) million units were delivered in China, the region’s largest single market. The company reported further strong growth in India, where 55,100 (17,400; +217.2%) vehicles were delivered.
Group brands delivered a total of 1.90 (1.74; +9.3%) million vehicles to customers in Europe during the first half of the year. In Western Europe (excluding Germany), 1.07 (1.01; +5.5%) million customers took delivery of a new vehicle. Group brands reported continued high growth in Central and Eastern Europe, handing over 253,700 (196,800; +28.9%) vehicles there. In its home market of Germany, the Volkswagen Group achieved 9.3% growth, delivering 580,600 (531,300) vehicles.
