VW Group posts large net gains in sales for the first five months.

• January to May figure rises to 4.11 million units/ +6.3 per cent*
• 864,600 vehicles delivered in May/ +5.9 per cent*
• Group Board Member for Sales Christian Klingler: “Encouraging trend in deliveries. Mixed performance, and market demands remain challenging.”

The Volkswagen Group delivered 4.11 (January-May 2013: 3.87; +6.3 per cent)* million vehicles from January to May. The company handed over 864,600 (May 2013: 816,300; +5.9 per cent)* 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 per cent) million vehicles on the overall European market from January to May, of which 866,200 (799,000; +8.4 per cent) were handed over in Western Europe (excluding Germany).In the home market of Germany, 502,200 (473,100; +6.1 per cent) customers chose a new car from the Volkswagen Group. Europe’s largest automaker delivered 274,000 (254,000; +7.9 per cent) vehicles in Central and Eastern Europe. 113,800 (120,900; -5.8 per cent) units were handed over to customers in Russia during the same period.

The Group delivered 350,400 (360,000; -2.7 per cent) vehicles in the North America region from January to May, of which 237,900 (249,300; -4.6 per cent) were handed over in the United States. In the South America region, the Volkswagen Group delivered 296,000 (375,200; -21.1 per cent) vehicles to customers during the same period, of which 229,500 (276,300; -16.9 per cent) were handed over in Brazil.

The Group continued to record very encouraging figures in the Asia-Pacific region, where1.66 (1.43; +16.0 per cent) million vehicles were delivered to customers in the period to May, of which 1.51 (1.28; +17.7 per cent) million units were handed over in China, the Group’s largest single market.

Outline of developments at Group brands

The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand delivered 2.55 (2.44; +4.4 per cent) 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 per cent) million vehicles there. Volkswagen Passenger Cars delivered 712,700 (688,800; +3.5 per cent) vehicles to customers on the overall European market, with the brand recording a 5.9per cent rise in deliveries in Western Europe, where 372,200 (351,400) units were handed over.

Audi delivered 713,900 (640,200; +11.5 per cent) 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 per cent) 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 per cent.

The sports car manufacturer Porsche delivered a total of 71,500 (67,300; +6.3 per cent) vehicles in the first five months. Demand was particularly high in the Asia-Pacific region, where 22,100 (20,000; +10.7 per cent) vehicles were delivered, and in Western Europe (excluding Germany), where 10,900 (9,300; +16.5 per cent) models were handed over to customers.

ŠKODA delivered a total of 428,000 (377,200; +13.5 per cent) vehicles from January to May. The Czech automaker performed particularly well on European markets, delivering 117,300 (96,600; +21.4 per cent) vehicles in Western Europe (excluding Germany) and 112,900 (96,700; +16.8 per cent) units in Central and Eastern Europe. In Germany, the brand grew deliveries by 14.1 per cent to 61,600 (53,900) vehicles.

SEAT delivered 162,500(149,100; +8.9 per cent) 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 per cent to 10,400 (5,700) vehicles, and in Western Europe (excluding Germany), where the company handed over 94,100 (86,200; +9.1 per cent) units. In Germany, SEAT delivered over 34,500 (30,700; +12.3 per cent) models.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles delivered 178,300(184,400; -3.3 per cent) vehicles to customers from January to May, of which 72,300 (66,800; +8.3 per cent) were handed over in Western Europe (excluding Germany). In Germany, the company delivered 45,200 (43,800; +3.1 per cent) vehicles to customers during the same period.

*) excluding MAN and Scania