Volkswagen Group takes a hit with all but Audi, SEAT, Skoda and Porsche taking a downturn in sales.

• CEO Matthias Müller: "Systematically making the Group fit for the future."

The Volkswagen Group handed over 9.93 million vehicles to customers worldwide in 2015. "Delivering almost ten million vehicles is an excellent result, particularly in view of the continued challenging market situation in some regions as well as the diesel issue in the final quarter of last year". 

Matthias Müller, CEO of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, commented in Wolfsburg on Friday, and went on to say: "While developments on markets in Brazil and Russia had a noticeable impact on deliveries by our brands, we made advances in Europe. We also recorded further growth in the North America region and in the USA." 

According to Müller, 2016 will be no less challenging: "On the one hand, as a global company we must handle the situation on world markets where trends remain mixed. And on the other, it is our wish and intention to systematically make the Group fit for a successful future." 

He said that not only involved overcoming the crisis, but above all related to the fundamental realignment of the Group. Müller added: "We are currently preparing our ‘Strategy 2025', which for me is the most important step towards a modern Volkswagen."

3.43 million customers in Western Europe took possession of a new vehicle from the Volkswagen Group in 2015, representing a rise of 4.8 percent. The delivery situation in Germany remained positive at the end of the year (+4.0 percent). 

The Volkswagen Group also reported increases on other markets in Western Europe. Growth was particularly strong in Spain (+16.1 percent) and Italy (+8.8 percent). The tense situation in Russia (-36.8 percent) continued to impact deliveries in Central and Eastern Europe. 

As a result of these developments, the Volkswagen Group delivered more than four million units in one year for the first time in the overall European region.

The company also recorded growth in North America in 2015, handing over 931,800 vehicles there. At 607,100 units – an increase of 1.2 percent – the United States accounted for the lion's share of these deliveries. Group deliveries in the tense South America region, however, continued to fall (-29.8 percent). This trend is chiefly attributable to deliveries in Brazil, which totaled 389,900 units.

The Group delivered 3.93 million vehicles in the twelve-month period in the Asia-Pacific region, of which 3.55 million units were handed over to customers in China, the Group's largest single market.

Overview of deliveries by the Volkswagen Group:

Deliveries to customers by markets	December 2015	December 2014	Change. (%)	Jan.-Dec. 2015	Jan.-Dec. 2014	Change. (%)
Europe	311,200	312,600	-0.5	4,045,400	3,945,200	+2.5
Western Europe	257,500	256,200	+0.5	3,430,200	3,274,300	+4.8
Germany	95,200	93,200	+2.1	1,289,100	1,239,300	+4.0
Central and Eastern Europe	53,700	56,400	-4.7	615,100	670,900	-8.3
Russia	16,300	26,100	-37.5	174,300	275,800	-36.8
North America	85,100	83,200	+2.3	931,800	892,800	+4.4
USA	56,000	57,100	-2.0	607,100	599,700	+1.2
South America	34,500	67,800	-49.2	558,300	794,800	-29.8
Brazil	25,100	55,500	-54.8	389,900	629,800	-38.1
Asia-Pacific	360,900	372,900	-3.2	3,934,900	4,057,700	-3.0
China	329,200	336,200	-2.1	3,548,600	3,675,300	-3.4
Worldwide	834,800	881,000	-5.2	9,930,600	10.137.400	-2.0

Deliveries to customers by brands	December 2015	December 2014	Change. (%)	Jan.-Dec. 2015	Jan.-Dec. 2014	Change. (%)
Volkswagen Passenger Cars	487,700	529,500	-7.9	5,823,400	6,118,700	-4.8
Audi	158,400	150,000	+5.6	1,803,200	1,741,100	+3.6
ŠKODA	86,600	81,900	+5.7	1,055,500	1,037,200	+1.8
SEAT	28,300	31,200	-9.2	400,000	390,500	+2.4
Porsche	15,200	20,600	-26.2	225,100	189,800	+18.6
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles	40,500	45,200	-10.5	430,800	446,600	-3.5
MAN	9,800	12,400	-21.4	102,500	120,100	-14.7
Scania (expected figures)	6,500	8,500	-23.4	76,600	79,800	-4.0
Volkswagen Group (total)	834,800	881,000	-5.2	9,930,600	10,137,400	-2.0