Volkswagen Group saved by other brands, as VW drops, and SEAT, Skoda, Audi and Porsche rise.

• Slight increase of 0.3 per cent in deliveries for first five months
• 858,000 vehicles handed over in May
• Group Board Member for Sales Christian Klingler: “Deliveries so far this year characterised by mixed market trends.”

The Volkswagen Group delivered 4.20 (January-May 2014: 4.19; +0.3 per cent) million vehicles from January to May. “Deliveries so far this year have been characterised by mixed market trends. 

Even with their broad range of young and eco-friendly models, the Volkswagen Group brands are not entirely immune to this situation,” Group Board Member for Sales Christian Klingler said in Wolfsburg on Friday. 

The Company handed over 858,000 (May 2014: 880,900; -2.6 per cent) vehicles to customers in May. 

“The market situation in the South America region and in Russia remains tense. Developments in Europe continue to be positive. In the meantime, the new normality has arrived in China, where the market situation has changed as expected,” Klinger added.

Group brands delivered a total of 1.73 (1.68; +3.3 per cent) million vehicles on the overall European market in the period to May, of which 936,200 (880,900; +6.3 per cent) were handed over in Western Europe (excluding Germany). 545,700 (512,400; +6.5 per cent) customers chose a new vehicle from the Volkswagen Group on the home market of Germany, while the Company delivered 250,700 (284,200; -11.8 per cent) units in Central and Eastern Europe. 

Deliveries in Russia continued to decline, with 69,900 (118,100; -40.8 per cent) vehicles handed over to customers there.

The Group delivered 370,900 (351,200; +5.6 per cent) vehicles in the North America region from January to May, of which 241,800 (237,900; +1.6 per cent) were handed over to customers in the United States. 

The Volkswagen Group delivered 248,300 (323,700; -23.3 per cent) units in the South America region during the same period, of which 177,800 (254,100; -30.0 per cent) were handed over to customers in Brazil.

1.65 (1.66; -0.6 per cent) million vehicles were handed over to customers in the Asia-Pacific region in the period to May. At 1.49 (1.51; -1.1 per cent) million, deliveries in China, the Group’s largest single market, almost matched last year’s high level.

Outline of developments at Group brands

The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand delivered 2.48 (2.55; -3.0 per cent) million vehicles to customers worldwide in the first five months.

The premium brand Audi handed over 744,900 (713,900) vehicles worldwide in the period to May, an increase of 4.3 per cent.

The sports car manufacturer Porsche delivered a total of 93,200 (71,500) vehicles, representing an increase of 30.3 per cent compared with the previous year.

The Czech brand ŠKODA delivered 449,700 (428,000) vehicles in the period to May, a rise of 5.1 per cent.

SEAT handed over 176,400 (162,500; +8.6 per cent) vehicles to customers worldwide in the first five months.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles delivered 184,400 (178,300; +3.4 per cent)vehicles during the same period.

The MAN brand delivered 39,600 (46,700; -15.0 per cent) units from January to May.

The Swedish brand Scania delivered 30,200 (30,900; -2.4 per cent)heavy trucks and buses to customers in the period to May.

Note to editors: All Group figures include heavy commercial vehicles from the MAN and Scania brands.

JANUARY SALES - VW GROUP - Group shows slight gain worldwide in January.

• Group Board Member for Sales Christian Klingler:“We made a stable start to another challenging year”

The Volkswagen Group began the year with a slight increase in deliveries of 0.7 per cent. The Company with its twelve brands delivered 817,600 (January 2014: 811,500) vehicles worldwide. “The Volkswagen Group made a stable start to the year. 

Our premium brands Audi and Porsche, along with ŠKODA and SEAT, put in a particularly strong performance,” Group Board Member for Sales Christian Klingler said in Wolfsburg on Friday. “Looking ahead to the full year we can expect the global uncertainties to continue – and 2015 will be another challenging year,” Klingler added.

Including the figures for heavy commercial vehicles, Group brands delivered a total of 287,400 (279,400; +2.9 per cent) vehicles to customers on the overall European market in the first month of the year. 152,200 (149,300; +1.9 per cent) customers took possession of a new vehicle in Western Europe (excluding Germany). 89,300 (84,200; +6.1 per cent) units were delivered in the home market of Germany. 

The Group handed over 45,900 vehicles to customers in Central and Eastern Europe, matching the figure for January of last year. 13,800 (16,600; -16.9 per cent) units were delivered in Russia.

The Company delivered 63,200 (58,000; +9.0 per cent) vehicles in the North America region in January, of which 39,200 (36,900; +6.1 per cent) were handed over to customers in the United States. The Volkswagen Group delivered 53,900 (67,900; -20.7 per cent) vehicles in the South America region during the same period, of which 38,500 (48,500; -20.7 per cent) were handed over to customers in Brazil.

381,300 (375,000; +1.7 per cent) vehicles were delivered to customers in the Asia-Pacific region in the first month of the year, of which 351,400 (344,500; +2.0 per cent) were handed over in China (incl. Hong Kong), the Group’s largest single market.

Outline of developments at Group brands

The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand delivered 507,100 (521,600; -2.8 per cent) vehicles to customers worldwide in January 2015.

The premium brand Audi handed over 137,700 (124,900) vehicles in the first month of the year, a substantial rise of 10.3 per cent.

The sports car manufacturer Porsche delivered a total of 16,000 (12,200) vehicles, representing an increase of 31.2 per cent compared with the previous year.

The Czech brand ŠKODA delivered 87,000 (80,900) vehicles in January, an increase of 7.5 per cent.

SEAT handed over 27,700 (26,000; +6.4 per cent) vehicles to customers during the first month of the year.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles delivered 30,600 (31,600; -3.3 per cent) vehicles during the same period.

The MAN commercial vehicles brand delivered 5,600 (7,800; -29.0 per cent) units in the first month of the year.

The Swedish brand Scania delivered 5,000 (5,600; -9,7 per cent) heavy trucks and buses to customers in January.