WORLDWIDE SALES MARCH - Volvo - Sales of the Swedish giant continue to grow.

Volvo Cars, the premium car maker, experienced a strong sales month in March and reported a 9.3 per cent year-on-year increase on the back of double-digit growth in the Asia Pacific and EMEA regions. Total sales for the month amounted to 57,158 cars, compared with 52,279 cars a year earlier.

Growth in the first quarter of 2017 amounted to 7.1 per cent, putting the company firmly on course for a fourth consecutive record year in retail sales.

Strong demand for the new 90 series cars remains an important factor in Volvo’s positive sales performance, while the soon-to-be-replaced XC60 remains the best-selling model overall. 

A new XC60 was revealed at the Geneva Motor Show last month and will start production at the Torslanda plant in Sweden this month.

The United Kingdom recorded sales of 9,710 in March, up 30 per cent over the same month last year. Sales for the first three months of 2017 amounted to 13,582 cars, an increase of 18 per cent versus the same period in 2016. The XC60 has been the best-selling model in the UK so far this year, followed by the V40 and the XC90.

Jon Wakefield, Managing Director of Volvo Car UK, said: “These incredible figures are a testament to the hard work of everyone at Volvo Car UK and the dealer network. An exceptional March and incredibly strong first quarter are the perfect start for what is set to be another year of record-breaking sales and growth for Volvo in the UK.”

The Asia Pacific region reported sales growth of 16.7 per cent in March to 12,949 cars, boosted by a strong performance in China, Volvo’s largest market. There, sales rose by 20.6 per cent to 9,095 cars, following strong demand for the locally produced XC60 and S60L models, as well as the XC90 and S90.

Sales in the EMEA region increased by 13.6 per cent to 37,206 cars sold, on the back of a strong performance in Sweden and double-digit growth in the United Kingdom and Germany. The region continued to see strong demand for the new V90 and XC90, as well as Europe’s most popular premium mid-size SUV, the XC60. In Sweden, the new S90/V90 kept Volvo at its traditional spot on top of the list of best-selling models.

The Americas region reported sales of 6,687 cars, of which 5,356 were in the United States. The most popular model in the region was the XC60, followed closely by the XC90.

Retail sales status (deliveries to end customers) for Volvo Car Group is as follows:

		March			January - March
		2016	2017	Change	2016	2017	Change
Region EMEA		32,757	37,206	13.6%	72,169	78,820	9.2%
	UK Sweden	7,488 6,432	9,710 7,106	29.7% 10.5%	11,508 16,047	13,582 17,716	18.0% 10.4%
Region Asia-Pacific		11,095	12,949	16.7%	28,348	32,872	16.0%
	China	7,542	9,095	20.6%	19,636	23,335	18.8%
Region Americas		8,113	6,687	-17.6%	19,300	16,641	-13.8%
	USA	6,857	5,356	-21.9%	16,361	13,476	-17.6%
Other		314	316	0.6%	774	815	5.3%
TOTAL		52,279	57,158	9.3%	120,591	129,148	7.1%

Globally, the Volvo XC60 was the best-selling model in March, with 18,420 cars sold (2016: 14,676), followed by the Volvo V40/V40 Cross Country, with 11,452 cars sold (10,965). The XC90 was third, with 7,661 sold cars (8,541). Sales figures by model can be found in the Sales Volumes section of the Global Newsroom.