Volkswagen Group has sold 4.11 million vehicles from January to May, representing a 6.3% increase compared to the same period of 2013.
The company handed over 864,600 (May 2013: 816,300; +5.9 percent) units to customers in May. "The Volkswagen Group brands delivered over four million vehicles for the first time in the period to May. That is an encouraging development, particularly in view of the mixed performance on world markets", Group Board Member for Sales Christian Klingler said in Wolfsburg on Friday. "Even though our Group and its brands are in an excellent position to respond to the different trends in the world regions, market demands still remain challenging", Klingler continued.
Group brands delivered a total of 1.64 (1.53; +7.6 percent) million vehicles on the overall European market from January to May, of which 866,200 (799,000; +8.4 percent) were handed over in Western Europe (excluding Germany). In the home market of Germany, 502,200 (473,100; +6.1 percent) customers chose a new car from the Volkswagen Group. Europe's largest automaker delivered 274,000 (254,000; +7.9 percent) vehicles in Central and Eastern Europe. 113,800 (120,900; -5.8 percent) units were handed over to customers in Russia during the same period.
The Group delivered 350,400 (360,000; -2.7 percent) vehicles in the North America region from January to May, of which 237,900 (249,300; -4.6 percent) were handed over in the United States. In the South America region, the Volkswagen Group delivered 296,000 (375,200; -21.1 percent) vehicles to customers during the same period, of which 229,500 (276,300; -16.9 percent) were handed over in Brazil.
The Group continued to record very encouraging figures in the Asia-Pacific region, where 1.66 (1.43; +16.0 percent) million vehicles were delivered to customers in the period to May, of which 1.51 (1.28; +17.7 percent) million units were handed over in China, the Group's largest single market.
The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand delivered 2.55 (2.44; +4.4 percent) million vehicles to customers worldwide from January to May. The brand developed particularly well in the Asia-Pacific region, handing over 1.25 (1.07; +17.0 percent) million vehicles there. Volkswagen Passenger Cars delivered 712,700 (688,800; +3.5 percent) vehicles to customers on the overall European market, with the brand recording a 5.9 percent rise in deliveries in Western Europe, where 372,200 (351,400) units were handed over.
Audi delivered 713,900 (640,200; +11.5 percent) vehicles worldwide in the period to May. Deliveries by the premium brand from Ingolstadt continued to develop well in the Asia-Pacific region, where 258,700 (218,500; +18.4 percent) models were handed over to customers. Audi delivered 81,700 (73,600) vehicles in the North America region during the same period, an increase of 10.9 percent.
The sports car manufacturer Porsche delivered a total of 71,500 (67,300; +6.3 percent) vehicles in the first five months. Demand was particularly high in the Asia-Pacific region, where 22,100 (20,000; +10.7 percent) vehicles were delivered, and in Western Europe (excluding Germany), where 10,900 (9,300; +16.5 percent) models were handed over to customers.
KODA delivered a total of 428,000 (377,200; +13.5 percent) vehicles from January to May. The Czech automaker performed particularly well on European markets, delivering 117,300 (96,600; +21.4 percent) vehicles in Western Europe (excluding Germany) and 112,900 (96,700; +16.8 percent) units in Central and Eastern Europe. In Germany, the brand grew deliveries by 14.1 percent to 61,600 (53,900) vehicles.
SEAT delivered 162,500 (149,100; +8.9 percent) vehicles worldwide in the period to May, thus continuing its upward trend. The Spanish brand enjoyed particularly strong growth in the Central and Eastern Europe region, where deliveries rose by 81.1 percent to 10,400 (5,700) vehicles, and in Western Europe (excluding Germany), where the company handed over 94,100 (86,200; +9.1 percent) units. In Germany, SEAT delivered over 34,500 (30,700; +12.3 percent) models.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles delivered 178,300 (184,400; -3.3 percent) vehicles to customers from January to May, of which 72,300 (66,800; +8.3 percent) were handed over in Western Europe (excluding Germany). In Germany, the company delivered 45,200 (43,800; +3.1 percent) vehicles to customers during the same period.
