Volkswagen Group Sells 3.05 million Cars in First Quarter

VolkswagenVolkswagenGermany, 1938 > present98 models
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Group's sales outlook continues to look quite good for the year. It just announced that in the first four months of the year it sold 3.05 million cars, a 5.6% improvement over last year. It was the group's highest sales ever in the first quarter. For April alone the entire group sold 784,600 cars, a 7.2% improvement. 

"The market environment remains difficult, and is very challenging in some world regions. The economic crisis in Europe in particular is having an increasing impact on the automobile industry. However, growth continues on the markets in North America and, above all, Asia, so we are optimistic we will be able to maintain the momentum of the first three months in the second quarter," said VW Group head of sales Christian Klinger.

Europe remains a tough market with sales down 3.9% to 1.21 million cars in the first quarter. Compared to last year, Western Europe was down 3.9%, Germany was down 4.4%, Central and Eastern Europe were down 2.9% and Russian sales were up just 0.4%. 

North American sales increased by 12.9% in the first quarter to 279,900 cars, 193,900 of which were in the United States, up 11.6%. South American sales fell 1.6% to 292,000 cars, of which 213,500 were in Brazil, down 0.4%. 

Asia is still a major booster of VW Group sales. It sold 1.14 million cars there in the first quarter, up 16.5%. Of those, 1.02 million were in China, up 18.4%. Sales in India fell 23.1% to 33,400 cars. 

The Volkswagen Group sales were split among 1.91 million cars for the Volkswagen brand, up 5.3%, 503,000 cars for AudiAudiGermany, 1909 > present83 models
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, up 6.7%, 52,200 unit from PorschePorscheGermany, 1931 > present43 models
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, 298,000 cars from SkodaSkodaCzech Rep., 1895 > present57 models
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, down 8%, 117,100 units from SeatSeatSpain, 1950 > present29 models
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, down 11.5% and 170,700 units from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, down 2%.