WORLDWIDE SALES APRIL - VW - The commercial arm of the company see's steady growth.

• European core markets: growth of 6.8 per cent
• Caddy series: significant increase of 10.8 per cent

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles delivered 161,700 vans and pickups to customers around the world up to the end of April. This represents an increase of 4.8 per cent compared with the same period last year. In Western Europe, deliveries increased by 6.8 per cent in the first four months of the year to 114,100 vehicles.

In the German home market, 41,200 vehicles were handed over to customers (+5.5 per cent). All other European core markets showed significant increases in deliveries as well: France (+16.7 per cent to 7,500 vehicles), Spain (+13.8 per cent to 4,900 vehicles), Italy (+11.8 per cent to 4,100 vehicles) and the UK (+3.3 per cent to 16,600 vehicles).

In Eastern Europe, 12,300 vehicles were delivered to customers. This corresponds to an increase of 13.2 per cent.

In North America, with 3,500 vehicles sold, 49.9 per cent more vehicles were delivered to customers. In South America, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles delivered 12,200 vehicles (+ 3.5 per cent).

In the Asia-Pacific region, the brand also recorded increases in deliveries (+ 9.2 per cent to 7,200 vehicles).

The markets in Africa (-19.0 per cent to 4,000 vehicles) and the Middle East (-22.9 per cent to 8,400 vehicles) recorded a fall in vehicle deliveries in the first four months of the year.

With the exception of the Crafter, all model ranges showed a substantial increase in sales. The drop in deliveries of the Crafter is attributable to the model changeover.

 Overview of worldwide deliveries by model range (January to April 2017 inclusive):

• 67,700 vehicles from the T model range (64,500; +4.8 per cent)
• 56,300 vehicles from the Caddy range (50,800; +10.8 per cent)
• 23,800 vehicles from the Amarok range (23,600; +0.8 per cent)
• 13,900 vehicles from the Crafter range (15,300; -8.9 per cent)

WORLDWIDE SALES APRIL - VW - The brand takes a worldwide decrease in sales for the month.

• Worldwide deliveries fall slightly by 1.8 percent to 468,000 vehicles
• Upward trend in China continues, Teramont launched successfully
• Positive impetus from Russia
• Golf model replacement affects Western Europe

In April 2017, the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand delivered 468,000 vehicles throughout the world, corresponding to a slight fall of 1.8 percent compared with the corresponding month of the previous year. Jürgen Stackmann, Volkswagen Brand Board Member for Sales, commented: "Volkswagen brand deliveries in April were slightly below the figure for the previous year, as were overall market delivery figures for Europe and the USA. 

The main reason was the loss of two working days in April this year as a result of the later date of Easter compared with 2016. Another reason was the scheduled model replacement of the Golf family in Western Europe. 

On the other hand, we continued our upward trend in China and successfully launched the Teramont, our new large SUV. The Tiguan also continues to be very successful. Since its market launch, it has already been ordered by more than 355,000 customers."

The main trends in April were as follows:

• In Europe, 139,800 vehicles were handed over to customers, corresponding to a fall of 7.0 percent compared with April 2016. In certain key markets in Western Europe, deliveries were, as expected, affected by the scheduled model replacement of the Golf family.

• In the home market of Germany, 45,800 vehicles were delivered, 13.0 percent fewer than in April 2016. Apart from the replacement of the Golf, this figure was affected by the loss of two working days over Easter.

• Growth in the region of Central and Eastern Europe was continued. Deliveries rose by 12.9 percent to 21,400 vehicles. Russia made a key contribution with significant growth of 21.4 percent and has therefore achieved a turnaround. Especially the new Tiguan is benefiting from strong demand in Russia.

• In the USA, in a slightly contracting overall market, 27,600 vehicles were handed over to customers, corresponding to growth of 1.6 percent. Especially the Golf Estate (SportWagen) and the Golf Alltrack benefited from increased popularity with customers.

• In the region of South America, deliveries were at about the previous year's level, at 31,900 vehicles (-0.2 percent).

• The Volkswagen brand continued its upward trend in its largest market, China, in April. 226,000 vehicles were handed over to customers, corresponding to growth of 4.3 percent. This development was especially driven by SUV models. Deliveries of the Tiguan family with the new Tiguan L rose by 42.5% to 25,900 vehicles. The Teramont, the new large SUV model, was successfully launched and handed over to 4,200 customers in the first full month of deliveries.

• The new Ameo, which has been available since mid-2016, generated further growth in India. Deliveries rose by 13.1 percent to 3,300 vehicles.

Overview of deliveries by the Volkswagen brand

Deliveries to customers by markets	April 2016	April 2017	Change (%)	Jan.-Apr. 2016	Jan.-Apr. 2017	Change (%)
Europe	150,300	139,800	-7.0	579,600	568,000	-2.0
Western Europe	131,400	118,400	-9.9	511,000	488,000	-4.5
Germany	52,600	45,800	-13.0	191,300	175,000	-8.5
Central and Eastern Europe	18,900	21,400	+12.9	68,600	80,000	+16.7
Russia	6,000	7,300	+21.4	21,800	25,200	+15.2
North America	50,700	46,300	-8.7	178,300	178,700	+0.2
USA	27,100	27,600	+1.6	96,400	103,800	+7.7
South America	31,900	31,900	-0.2	120,300	131,500	+9.4
Brazil	21,400	19,400	-9.2	80,900	78,600	-2.8
Asia-Pacific	229,200	236,800	+3.3	999,900	976,500	-2.3
China	216,700	226,000	+4.3	939,400	921,600	-1.9
Worldwide	476,700	468,000	-1.8	1,936,200	1,908,900	-1.4

USA SALES APRIL - AUDI - the German luxury brand is now running at 76 months of growth.

• Q5 SUV sales increased 26 percent to 5,028 vehicles
• Sales of Q7 rose 22 percent; Second-best month for flagship SUV
• Consumer demand for A4 sedan increased 9 percent; A5 sales up 24 percent

Audi of America’s April sales increased 5 percent to 18,711 vehicles, a record. Demand was strong across the product lineup, with the Q5, Q7 SUVs and the A4 sedan leading the volume gains.

It was the best April sales result for Audi in the U.S., marking the brand’s 76th straight monthly record. The previous April record was set last year with 17,801 vehicles sold. Through the first four months of 2017, Audi sales have risen 8 percent to 64,358 vehicles.

April results were bolstered by strong demand across the brand’s SUV lineup, with total sales in the segment increasing 18 percent over last April and 19 percent year-to-date. 

The newly launched Q5 led the gains with 5,028 vehicles sold, an increase of 26 percent. Sales of the Q7 rose 22 percent over last year to 3,022 vehicles, the second-best month on record for the model. The Q3 posted 1,510 sales for the month.

Consumer demand for A4 and A5 models was also strong. The A4 sedan posted sales of 3,246 vehicles, a 9 percent increase for the month and a 20 percent gain year-to-date. A4 allroad sales jumped 61 percent to 236 vehicles. The A5 recorded 1,007 deliveries in April, an increase of 24 percent from last year.

“Customers are responding well to our new products,” said Mark Del Rosso, chief operating officer, Audi of America. “With the new Q5 in full force and the new A5, we have much cause to be optimistic that our product offensive will position us well for continued growth this year.” 

AUDI US SNAPSHOT	--MTD--			--YTD--
Model Line	Apr '17 Actual	Apr '16 Actual	Yr/Yr % change	Apr '17 YTD  Actual	Apr '16 YTD Actual	Yr/Yr % change
A3	1,803	2,548	-29.2%	6,691	9,145	-26.8%
A3 e-tron	301	321	-6.2%	1,502	1,228	22.3%
A4	3,246	2,983	8.8%	11,236	9,361	20.0%
A5	1,007	813	23.9%	2,318	2,714	-14.6%
A6	1,508	1,619	-6.9%	5,186	4,977	4.2%
A7	459	543	-15.5%	1,885	2,009	-6.2%
A8	291	330	-11.8%	1,084	1,315	-17.6%
allroad	236	147	60.5%	814	597	36.3%
Q3	1,510	1,635	-7.6%	5,612	5,030	11.6%
Q5	5,028	3,991	26.0%	16,340	12,831	27.3%
Q7	3,022	2,472	22.2%	10,570	9,465	11.7%
R8	102	96	6.3%	301	123	144.7%
TT	198	303	-34.7%	819	966	-15.2%
Total Audi Sales	18,711	17,801	5.1%	64,358	59,761	7.7%
Total CPO Sales	4,060	4,055	0.1%	15,024	15,386	-2.4%

NOTES:

- A3 includes A3 Sedan, S3 Sedan and A3 Cabriolet, but does not include A3 Sportback e-tron.

- A4 includes A4 Sedan and S4 Sedan, but does not include A4 allroad.

- A5 includes A5 Coupe, S5 Coupe, RS 5 Coupe, A5 Cabriolet, S5 Cabriolet and RS 5 Cabriolet.

- A6 includes A6 Sedan and S6 Sedan.

- A7 includes A7 Sedan, S7 Sedan and RS 7 Sedan.

- A8 includes A8 Sedan, A8 L Sedan and S8 Sedan.

- Q5 includes Q5 and SQ5.

- R8 includes R8 Coupe and R8 Spyder.

- TT includes TT Coupe, TTS Coupe and TT Roadster.

UK SALES APRIL - SEAT - The Spanish brand over took more established rivals to enter the top ten uk brands.

• SEAT became the UK’s fastest growing car brand* in April, up 12% compared to the same month in 2016. Barcelona-based brand’s UK car market share also rocketed from 1.85% to 2.58%
• SEAT broke into top ten true fleet manufacturers for first time, overtaking Nissan, Toyota and Vauxhall
• Best is yet to come: All-new Ibiza now available to order ahead of July showroom arrival, plus, new Arona due to be unveiled soon, in advance of late 2017 launch

SEAT’s impressive start to 2017 continues, as it ended April as the UK’s fastest-growing car brand. Against a backdrop of falling car sales, down 19.8%, SEAT bucked the trend with impressive growth of 12%.

After an equally impressive March performance which saw its UK subsidiary become its largest sales market globally for the first time, SEAT surged past several rivals in April with 3,926 registrations, including Honda and MINI, and closed the month within touching distance of both Land Rover and Renault. Overall, its performance represented an increase of 426 units compared to the same month in 2016 (3,500), while its market share rocketed from 1.85% to 2.58%.

At April close, SEAT’s UK sales were up a stellar 22% compared to the first four months of the previous year. On top of that, the brand also remained the second fastest-growing car brand, behind Jaguar, in the first four months of the year.

It has several other reasons to celebrate too. The first is SEAT achieved a major milestone by breaking into the top ten true fleet manufacturers for the first time, overtaking Nissan, Toyota and Vauxhall. 

On the back of four years of consecutive growth, its fleet team have already torn up their record books, having already secured more orders in just the four months of this year than their entire 2016 sales (9,856).

Secondly, its sizeable gains are not coming from a single model. Ateca continues to take the British market by storm. 

Already significantly up on SEAT’s internal sales forecasts, 841 of its multi-award-winning SUV were registered in April, taking to an impressive 3,942 year-to-date. Leading the pack still though is the New Leon range, which only launched in UK showrooms in February. 

Over 1,500 units of its SC, five-door and ST models found homes in April. Even with the current generation of Ibiza on run out, ahead of the July showroom launch of the brand new model, it performed strongly with 1,240. Lastly, its large MPV, Alhambra, also sold extremely well with 363 units.

Finally, the best is yet to come. Halfway through the largest product offensive in SEAT’s history, with four new models arriving in just 18 months, the UK order book for the third car, the eagerly-awaited All-New Ibiza, has just opened ahead of its showroom arrival on 21 July. 

Rounding off its sustainable growth plans is the firm’s first crossover, Arona, due to be unveiled soon ahead of its winter launch on these shores.

SEAT’s global results are equally strong. Between January and April this year, SEAT delivered 158,700 vehicles worldwide, an increase of 14.5% compared to the same period in 2016. The performance for April alone, with 41,400 deliveries, saw even higher growth, up 16%.

Commenting on the brand’s stellar performance so far this year, Richard Harrison, Director, SEAT UK commented, “SEAT has real momentum and in the UK, we’re really starting to realise the brand’s true potential. Every new product we’re launching is striking a chord with British car buyers, while the rest of our line-up continues to deliver strongly. 

The fact that we have two further top-draw cars coming soon, in All-new Ibiza and Arona, is the icing on the cake. The UK team and our dealer partners are doing a fantastic job and I can’t wait for our customers to enjoy our products even more in the months ahead.”

WORLDWIDE SALES APRIL - CADILLAC - The US luxury brand had a massive 40.9% growth.

• Growth in U.S. sales, market share and average transaction price
• Continued record growth in China

Substantial gains in both the U.S. and China drove Cadillac global sales to 28,163 units in April, an increase of 40.9 percent over the same period in 2016. April marked the 11th consecutive month of double-digit growth for Cadillac, and continued execution of the brand’s globalization strategy.

Cadillac sales have increased 31.6 percent globally year to date. In the midsize luxury crossover category – the industry’s strongest segment – Cadillac grew 92 percent in April, and 63.1 percent so far in 2017 due to the success of the XT5.  

The new luxury crossover was the brand’s best seller worldwide in April, totaling 11,530 units. In addition, sales of Cadillac’s ATS sport sedan and coupe models grew 46.7 percent for the month while the XTS luxury sedan rose 13.4 percent.

Cadillac achieved strong growth in the U.S. in April, with sales increasing 9.5 percent. According to Power Information Network, Cadillac gained 0.9 percentage points of luxury market share in the U.S. in April and 0.7 percentage points of retail share year-to-date. The average transaction price for a new Cadillac in the U.S. in April rose $1,000 to $55,174, approximately $5,000 above the luxury market average and second highest amongst major luxury brands.    

Sales in China grew 98.4 percent in April, following the all-time record set in 2016 in the world’s largest market. For the year-to-date, Cadillac sales in China are up 92.5 percent, and 32 percent globally.

“When we launched our strategy for the transformation of Cadillac almost three years ago, we announced that our focus would be on product substance, expansion of the portfolio, strengthening the quality of business, and an enhanced delivery experience,” said Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen.  “We knew it would take time, but that robust sales would eventually follow.  Our operational results are a vindication of the strategy, and new products like XT5 and CT6 provide a strong statement about our commitment to excellence in execution.” 

Cadillac sales in key regions appear in the table below.

SALES BY REGION
	April-17	April-16	% Change	YTD-17	YTD-16	% Change
United States	12,300	11,236	9.5	46,282	46,869	(1.3)
China*	13,903	7,007	98.4	53,317	27,698	92.5
Canada	1,247	980	27.2	3,870	3,423	13.1
Middle East	298	305	(2.3)	1,255	1,232	1.9
ROW	415	458	(9.4)	2,081	1,940	7.3
Total	28,163	19,986	40.9	106,805	81,162	31.6

*China retail sales

USA SALES APRIL - TOYOTA/LEXUS - Both the brands took a tumble in April.

• TMNA and Toyota division set April sales record in light trucks
• Toyota division SUVs up nearly 9 percent
• Lexus NX sees new best-ever April

Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) Inc., today reported its U.S. April 2017 sales of 201,926 units, a decrease of 4.4 percent from April 2016 on a volume basis. With one less selling day in April 2017 compared to April 2016, sales were down 0.7 percent on a daily selling rate (DSR) basis. 

Toyota division posted April 2017 sales of 179,810 units, down 3.5 percent on a volume basis, but up 0.3 percent on a DSR basis.    

“The industry’s appetite for SUV and light truck sales remains strong,” said Jack Hollis, group vice president and general manager of Toyota division. “Toyota continues to progress in aligning our mix with the industry, as seen by the exemplary month for our SUVs with Highlander, RAV4 and 4Runner all scoring an April best ever. Also, during the month we launched the C-HR subcompact SUV crossover, and we’re already hearing positive feedback on its performance and style.”

Lexus posted sales of 22,116 units, down 11.1 percent on a volume, and down 7.7 percent on a DSR basis. 

“Thanks to continued consumer interest in luxury utility vehicles and a healthy inventory, NX achieved its best April yet,” said Jeff Bracken, Lexus group vice president and general manager.  “Moving into May, we’re excited to launch our stunning new flagship coupe, the LC 500 and LC 500h.” 

April 2017 Highlights:

• Camry posts sales of 31,428 units
• TMNA and Toyota division all post new April record for light truck sales
• RAV4 sales rise 5.3 percent on a volume basis, up 9.4 percent on a DSR basis; a best-ever April
• Highlander up 19.6 on a volume basis, up 24.2 on a DSR basis; a best-ever April
• 4Runner up nearly 3 percent on volume; posts best-ever April
• C-HR launched in April
• NX sets new best-ever April, volume up 13.2 percent, and up 17.6 on a DSR basis