Volkswagen Brand Increased Deliveries by 3.5% Worldwide in September

[ASurroca]

09 October 2005
VOLKSWAGEN BRAND INCREASED DELIVERIES BY 3.5 PERCENT WORLDWIDE IN SEPTEMBER

VW model offensive continues to gain strength in important markets

WOLFSBURG, Germany - Volkswagen significantly increased the number of vehicles delivered to customers worldwide in September.

Sales increased by 3.5% to 290 000 cars compared to the same month in the previous year. “The figures show that our model offensive is convincing a growing number of customers in Europe”, said Dr. Georg Flandorfer, VW Member of the Board of Management with responsibility for sales, in Wolfsburg. The Volkswagen brand has delivered 2.256 million vehicles to customers worldwide since the beginning of the year.

Dr. Flandorfer said that Volkswagen had been particularly successful in Germany: “In September, almost every fifth new car buyer opted for a Volkswagen and we were able to increase deliveries by 8.7% to 50 500 vehicles.” The figures represent an increase of 6.9% at a total of 394 000 since the start of the year. He explained that “There are two reasons for this. Firstly, we have the youngest model range of all time. The new models such as the Golf Plus, Polo, Fox, Jetta, Passat and Passat Estate are highly attractive vehicles in the most important volume segments and they will also be the driving force behind us for the rest of the year. Secondly, Volkswagen is still the most likeable brand out of all industries in Germany, according to a recently published study by "stern" magazine.”

Volkswagen was also able to increase deliveries to customers in other regions – in some cases reporting quite substantial rises. 8.6% more vehicles were sold in European countries excluding Germany in September, representing a total of 98 500 vehicles. “The new models Jetta and Passat reversed the trend in the USA. We have a plus of 3.7% for September”, said Dr. Flandorfer. The South America/South Africa region is developing even more positively. Volkswagen gained an increase of 8.7% to 43 000 vehicles in this region. In the Chinese market, which continues to be shaped by hard-fought discount wars, deliveries decreased by 7.5% to 46 500 vehicles, but still represent market leadership.

At the end of the first three quarters of the year, the number of vehicle deliveries worldwide was only 0.7% below that for the same period in the previous year. Dr. Flandorfer reported that, without taking the difficult Chinese market into account, the Volkswagen brand already had an increase of 2.1% worldwide compared with the same period last year.

Volkswagen Passenger Cars

The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand delivered 3.064 million vehicles in more than 150 countries in 2004 (2003: 3.075) and employs more than 130 000 people worldwide. In nearly all classes, Volkswagen can offer its customers vehicles with leading technology that meet the highest requirements in design and quality. These include the Golf and the Passat, the small cars Fox and Polo and the luxury models Phaeton and Touareg.

source: Volkswagen AG

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I think sometimes, people forget that Volkswagen's woes weren't limited to Volkswagen in America in the US market. Interestingly, the sales increase worldwide is almost exactly the same as the sales increase in the US. 3.5% isn't amazing, but it appears Volkswagen has finally stopped the bleeding, so to speak, and the increased product development speed should help Volkswagen out of the red.