The Volkswagen Group began the year with a 14.9 percent* increase in deliveries for January which totaled 749,900 (January 2012: 652,400)* units. 

“In particular the sizeable increase in China – due to the later date set for the Chinese New Year – helped the Volkswagen Group achieve this January performance. For February, we expect a decline in deliveries in China as a result of this special effect. In Europe, the prevailing economic uncertainty continues to have a noticeable impact on market development and the Volkswagen Group could not entirely escape this trend in January. On the other hand, we recorded slight growth in the North America region,” Group Board Member for Sales Christian Klingler said in Wolfsburg on Friday, and added, “The fact remains that 2013 will also be a challenging year for the Volkswagen Group.”

Deliveries in the Asia-Pacific region rose as a result of the special situation in China. Customers took possession of 326,200 (233,500; +39.7 percent) new vehicles in the region in January. The Volkswagen Group delivered 298,300 (208,200; +43.3 percent) vehicles in China, the region’s largest single market, in the first month of the year. As a result of the later date set for the Chinese New Year, deliveries in January were noticeably higher than for the same month last year. This effect will be reversed in February. In India, the company delivered 7,800 (9,400; -17.1 percent) vehicles to customers in the first month of the year.

The Volkswagen Group benefited from the ongoing dynamic sales situation in the North America region in January, handing over 62,600 (53,500; +17.0 percent) vehicles to customers, of which 42,700 (36,700; +16.2 percent) units were delivered in the United States, the region’s largest single market. The Group delivered 77,300 (78,100; -0.9 percent) vehicles to customers in the South America region, of which 55,400 (52,200; +6.2 percent) were handed over in Brazil, the region’s largest market.

On the overall European market where major uncertainty still predominates, the Volkswagen Group handed over 252,200 (259,900; -3.0 percent) vehicles to customers, of which 138,100 (144,400; -4.4 percent) units were delivered in the Western Europe region (excluding Germany). In Central and Eastern Europe, deliveries during the same period ran at 40,200 (41,400; -2.9 percent) units. In the home market of Germany the Volkswagen Group handed over 73,900 (74,100; -0.2 percent) vehicles.

Outline of developments at Group brands

The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand recorded a significant increase in worldwide deliveries in January, handing over 491,900 (419,100; +17.4 percent) units. The brand developed particularly well in the Asia-Pacific region, where deliveries ran at 251,100 (174,700; +43.7 percent) units. In the North America region, Volkswagen Passenger Cars handed over 43,800 (39,600) vehicles during the same period, an increase of 10.6 percent.

Audi delivered 111,800 (96,100) vehicles worldwide in January, a rise of 16.3 percent. Among other things, the premium brand from Ingolstadt benefited from growth in China, where 37,700 (27,200; +38.5 percent) vehicles were handed over, and in the United States, where customers took possession of 10,100 (9,400; +7.5 percent) new vehicles.

The sports car manufacturer Porsche, which became a Volkswagen Group brand on August 1, 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 handed over to customers, 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 percent is attributable to the market launch of the new Octavia. Of this total, the company delivered 17,600 (20,400; -13.6 percent) units in Western Europe (excluding Germany) and handed over 15,100 (17,900; -15.7 percent) vehicles to customers in the Central and Eastern Europe region.

The Spanish brand SEAT delivered 25,900 (21,700; +19.1 percent) 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 percent. Deliveries were particularly encouraging in Germany, where 4,600 (3,600; +27.5 percent) models were handed over to customers, and in Spain, where deliveries ran at 4,900 (3,700; +34.5 percent) units.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles could not entirely avoid the effects of the difficult market situation and delivered 37,900 (39,500; -4.0 percent) light commercial vehicles in January. 11,700 (11,600; +0.1 percent) vehicles were handed over to customers in the Western Europe region (excluding Germany). On the home market of Germany deliveries ran at 6,200 (8,800; -29.1 percent) units.

*including deliveries by the Porsche brand from Aug. 1, 2012; excluding MAN and Scania.