The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand began the year with a rise in vehicle deliveries: The company handed over 491,900 (January 2012: 419,100) models to customers worldwide, an increase of 17.4 percent over the comparable prior-year period. “The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand has made a satisfactory start to the year in spite of the continuing difficult market conditions in Europe, and has grown deliveries, particularly in North America and – as a result of the later date set for the Chinese New Year – in Asia-Pacific”, Christian Klingler, board member for Sales and Marketing for the Volkswagen Group and the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand, said in Wolfsburg on Tuesday.

The sales situation on the overall European market remained difficult. Deliveries in this region for the first month of the year fell to 116,900 (125,500; -6.8 percent) units. The decline was primarily attributable to the continuing tense situation in Western Europe (excluding Germany), where deliveries were down 12.3 percent on the comparable prior-year period and ran at 60,600 (69,100) units. In Germany, too, Volkswagen could not entirely avoid the effect of developments on the overall market (around
-9 percent) and delivered 38,100 (39,600; -3.9 percent) vehicles. In contrast, the company grew deliveries in the Central and Eastern Europe region, where 18,200 (16,800; +8.8 percent) new Volkswagens were handed over to customers. Volkswagen deliveries on the Russian market increased to 10,000 (9,300; +7.2 percent) units.

Developments outside Europe were more positive. In the North America region, Volkswagen Passenger Cars grew deliveries to 43,800 (39,600; +10.6 percent) units. The brand handed over 29,000 (27,200) vehicles to customers in the United States, the region’s largest single market, representing an increase of 6.7 percent. Volkswagen Passenger Cars delivered 63,100 (64,300; -2.0 percent) vehicles in the South America region, of which 46,100 (43,800; +5.1 percent) units were handed over in Brazil.

The brand reported a substantial 43.7 percent increase in January in the Asia-Pacific region, handing over 251,100 (174,700) vehicles there, of which 235,000 (159,900; +47.0 percent) units were delivered in China (incl. Hong Kong), the region’s largest single market. The date for the Chinese New Year was again set in February and as a result of this special situation, deliveries in January were noticeably higher than for the same month last year; however, a decline in deliveries is expected for February. In India, Volkswagen Passenger Cars delivered 4,600 (5,800; -19.9 percent) vehicles in January.