Volkswagen sells over five million cars in January-October period for the first time

Volkswagen Passenger Cars has set a new delivery record for January – October, handing over more than five million vehicles to customers for the first time.

Around 5.08 (January to October 2013: 4.95) million vehicles were delivered during this period, representing an increase of 2.6 percent. At 517,400 (519,300; -0.4 per cent) units, deliveries by Volkswagen Passenger Cars in October were almost on a par with the high prior-year level despite very volatile markets.

“Deliveries bythe Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand developed satisfactorily in the period to October – even though conditions in some regions were at times uncertain,” Christian Klingler, Board Member for Sales and Marketing for the Volkswagen Group and the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand, said in Wolfsburg onTuesday. “Developments in Western Europe, where the new Passat will go on sale in the coming weeks, remained positive. As a result, we are on track to deliver more than six million vehicles for the first time,” Klingler continued.

Volkswagen Passenger Cars delivered 1.40 (1.37; +2.7 per cent) million vehicles on the overall European market from January to October, of which 719,500 (682,200; +5.5 per cent) units were handed over to customers in Western Europe (excluding Germany). There was also a rise in deliveries in the home market of Germany, where customers took possession of483,500 (464,100; +4.2 percent) vehicles in the period to October. Deliveries in Central and Eastern Europe continued to decline as a result of uncertainty in the region.200,500 (220,500; -9.0 percent) units were handed over to customers there. The company delivered 103,100 (129,900; -20.6 percent) models in Russia.

Volkswagen Passenger Cars delivered 482,300 (517,600; -6.8 percent) vehicles in the North America region in the period to October, of which 301,200 (343,000; -12.2 per cent)were handed over to customers in the United States. Deliveries in the South America region fell by18.5 per cent to 547,700 (672,400) units, of which 443,200 (514,700; -13.7 per cent) were handed over to customers in Brazil.

The brand reported a 12.4 percent increase in the Asia-Pacific region from January to October, handing over 2.47 (2.20) million vehicles to customers there, of which 2.30 (2.02; +13.8 per cent) million units were delivered in China (including Hong Kong), the region’s largest single market.