Volkswagen drops again in the first four months of the year - with a 22,000 drop in sales.

• Brand achieved strongest growth in European markets

The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand delivered 1.98 (January-April 2014: 2.02; -2.2 percent) million vehicles in the first four months of the year. 496,100 (April 2014: 521,000; -4.8 percent) models were handed over to customers in April. 

“So far this year, the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand achieved its strongest growth in Europe”, Christian Klingler, Board Member for Sales and Marketing for the Volkswagen Group and the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand, said. 

“However, developments in the global market situation remain mixed. Russia and the South America region in particular continue to require our full attention,” Klingler continued.

The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand delivered 582,000 (467,800; +2.5 percent) vehicles on the overall European market in the first four months, of which 318,100 (298,400; +6.6 percent) units were handed over in Western Europe (excluding Germany). 

Deliveries on the home market of Germany grew by 7.6 percent to 198,100 (184,100) vehicles. Deliveries in Central and Eastern Europe in the period to April declined: 65,900 (85,300; -22.8 percent) units were handed over there. In Russia, the company delivered 24,300 (45,800; -47.0 percent) vehicles during the same period.

The brand recorded a slight decrease in deliveries in the Asia-Pacific region in the period to April, handing over 972,000 (993,400; -2.2 percent) units there, of which 899,400 (921,400; -2.4 percent) were delivered in China (incl. Hong Kong). 

Volkswagen Passenger Cars handed over 185,100 (184,400; +0.4 percent) vehicles in the North America region in the period to April, of which 109,200 (118,200; -7.5 percent) models were delivered to their owners in the United States. In the South America region, deliveries from January to April decreased to 167,400 (207,700; -19.4 percent) units, of which 126,100 (165,400; -23.8 percent) were handed over to customers in Brazil.