Volkswagen Group delivers over nine-million vehicles for first time in 2012

The Volkswagen Group recorded a further strong increase in worldwide deliveries for the full year 2012 and exceeded the prior-year delivery record. The Company delivered 9.07- (2011: 8.16; +11.2 per cent)* million vehicles for the first time in a twelve-month period.
The Group also finished the month of December with a 20.7 per cent increase, delivering 784,300 (December 2011: 649,700)* units.

"The Volkswagen Group developed extremely well in difficult conditions. 2012 was the best sales year ever. This is another big step forward in our Strategy 2018. Tough challenges lie ahead. The Volkswagen Group has everything it takes to face these challenges and to play a leading role on world markets," said Chairman of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft's Board of Management, Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn.

Group Board Member for Sales, Christian Klingler, added, "All the brands in our Group contributed to this very good delivery performance in 2012. This is an excellent team achievement. We are still keeping a vigilant eye on the future, because the present uncertainties will intensify this year, particularly in Western Europe. The markets are challenging and competition is also getting tougher."

Full-year deliveries developed especially well on the American continent, with the number of vehicles handed over in the North America region in the period to December growing 26.2 per cent to 841,500 (666,800) units, of which 596,100 (444,200; +34.2 per cent) were delivered in the United States.

"The United States is one of the Volkswagen Group's key markets for implementing our Strategy 2018. Volkswagen Group of America will continue to grow and, together with Porsche Cars North America, will deliver well in excess of 600,000 vehicles to customers this year," Winterkorn said further.

The Volkswagen Group handed over 1.01- (0.93; +8.2 per cent) million vehicles to customers in the South America region during the same period, of which 780,200 (704,700; +10.7 per cent) were delivered in Brazil.

The Group also recorded very satisfactory figures in the Asia Pacific region, where deliveries topped the three-million mark for the first time in a twelve-month period, with 3.17- (2.57; +23.3 per cent) million vehicles handed over to customers, of which 2.81- (2.26; +24.5 per cent) million units were delivered in China, the region's largest single market. In India, deliveries increased by 2.1 per cent to 114,100 (111,700) units.

Deliveries by the Volkswagen Group on the overall European market remained stable in spite of the continuing difficult situation on markets in Southern Europe, and ran at 3.67- (3.68; -0.3 per cent) million vehicles. In Western Europe (excluding Germany), Europe's largest automaker delivered 1.85- (1.98; -6.5 per cent) million units. The Company grew deliveries in the home market of Germany to 1.18- (1.15; +1.9 per cent) vehicles. The Volkswagen Group continued to enjoy strong growth in Central and Eastern Europe, where 644,300 (547,800; +17.6 per cent) vehicles were handed over to customers, of which 317,700 (229,000; +38.8 per cent) were delivered in Russia, the region's largest single market.

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