In total, the Group with its Volkswagen, Audi and Škoda brands employs more than 40,000 people in China.
The VW Group began the year with a 15% increase in sales for January, totaling 749,900 compared to January of 2012 at 652,400. A huge portion of the gain was due to the later date for the Chinese New Year, which means a decline in China sales is coming in February for all automakers when the holiday is celebrated in 2013.
Nevertheless, the VW Group delivered 298,300 (208,200; +43.3%) vehicles in China, the region’s largest single market, in the first month of the western year. This compares to China market leader GM, which sold 300,000 during the same period – a dead heat in the Chinese sales leadership race.
GM has led sales in China for eight consecutive years, but during 2012 it just barely stayed as Number One at 2.84 million vehicles because the VW Group, China’s Number Two automaker, sold 2.81 million vehicles, a +24.5% increase compared to 2011. Whether GM can hold the lead in China this year remains an open question.
Like all automakers, the VW Group is suffering in Europe with deliveries EU deliveries of 216,000 a -5% decline. In Central and Eastern Europe, deliveries during the same period ran at 40,200 (41,400; -3%). In the home market of Germany, the VW Group handed sold 73,900 vehicles, basically flat year-over-year.
Conditions were better in the North America region in January. VW Group sold more than 62,600 (53,500; +17%) vehicles to customers, of which 42,700 (36,700; +16% units were delivered in the United States, the region’s largest single market. The Group delivered 77,300 (78,100; -1%) vehicles to customers in the South America region, of which 55,400 (52,200; +6%) were delivered in Brazil, the region’s largest market.
Audi delivered 111,800 (96,100) vehicles worldwide in January, a rise of 16.3%. The premium brand from Ingolstadt also benefited from growth in China, where 37,700 (27,200; +39%) vehicles were sold, and in the United States, where customers took possession of 10,100 new vehicles (9,400; +7.5%).
The sports car manufacturer Porsche, which became a Volkswagen Group brand on 1 August 2012, delivered a total of 12,100 vehicles in January. Demand for models built by the Stuttgart-based carmaker was particularly strong in the Asia-Pacific region, where 4,100 vehicles were delivered, and in the North America region, where 3,600 vehicles were delivered.
The Czech automaker ŠKODA delivered 69,500 (75,400) units in the first month of the year; the decline of 7.8% is attributable to the market launch of the new Octavia. Of this total, the company delivered 17,600 (20,400; -13.6%) units in Western Europe (excluding Germany) and handed over 15,100 (17,900; -15.7%) vehicles to customers in the Central and Eastern Europe region.
The Spanish brand SEAT delivered 25,900 (21,700; +19%) vehicles worldwide in January. Despite difficult conditions on European markets the company delivered 20,100 (17,900) vehicles in Europe as a whole, an increase of 12.5%. Deliveries were particularly encouraging in Germany, where 4,600 (3,600; +27.5%) models were delivered, and in Spain, where deliveries ran at 4,900 (3,700; +35%).
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles could not entirely avoid the effects of the difficult market situation and delivered 37,900 (39,500; -4%%) light commercial vehicles in January. 11,700 (11,600; +0.1%) vehicles were handed over to customers in the Western Europe region (excluding Germany). In the home market of Germany, deliveries ran at 6,200 (8,800; -29%).
