The Volkswagen Group China reported again solid growth of deliveries: With its two Chinese joint ventures, Shanghai Volkswagen and FAWVolkswagen, the Group delivered 2.36 million vehicles to Chinese customers in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau from January to September. That is an increase of 18 percent in comparison to the same period of last year (January to September 2012: 2 million cars). The Volkswagen Group again outperformed the total passenger car market growth (+ 16.4 percent) during the first nine months of 2013. “Building on this good result we continue to focus on customer satisfaction which is the center of further sustainable development”, said Prof. Dr. Jochem Heizmann, Member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG as well as President and CEO Volkswagen Group China.
“We provide fuel efficient products with innovative technologies to meet the needs and demands of the consumers,” he added. “And we are committed to the society and the environment. Our Go West and Go South strategies are geared to develop the markets in these regions and to get closer to the customers. More than that, we are focusing on resource friendly production and eco-sensitive products. In Changchun we are producing the EA888, the first engine in China which is able to fulfil the EU6 requirements. And the recently opened Foshan plant is the first in China producing the models with our innovative Modular Transverse Matrix (MQB) which makes modern and sustainable technique much faster accessible for customers.”
In mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau Volkswagen Group China and its two joint ventures, Shanghai Volkswagen and FAW-Volkswagen, handed over 2.36 million cars from January to September including almost 154,700 imported vehicles (129,300; + 19.7 percent). In the month of September customers took possession of 301,900 (260,500; + 15.9 percent) new vehicles of the Volkswagen Group China.
With a total of over 1.79 million delivered units Volkswagen brand experienced again a solid growth (January – September 2012: 1.51 million; + 18.2 percent). This result was strongly supported by the success of the Lavida and Sagitar as well as of the Passat and the Magotan.
Audi has further strengthened the brand’s leading position in China’s premium segment. In total, deliveries in China have climbed across all models by 20.6 percent to 358,200 units from January to September. The month of September was particularly successful with 45,500 deliveries, up 28.2 percent. SUVs contributed strongly to the growth. The Audi Q3 and Audi Q5, both produced in Changchun, accounted for around 72 percent of the sales growth in September. Audi will further expand the brand’s locally build model line-up. By the end of the year, Audi will start to produce the Audi A3 in the new factory in Foshan. The A3 Sedan will arrive on the market next spring.
In September, ŠKODA’s strongest market was China once again. ŠKODA delivered a total of 21,400 cars on the Chinese market (22,500 cars; -4.9 percent). Between January and September, ŠKODA delivered 177,700 cars to Chinese customers (181,900; -2.3 percent). Deliveries to customers so far this year have been affected by changes in production due to the comprehensive model renewal. New models will also be launched in China.
SEAT delivered 771 cars to customers in the first nine months of 2013. In the luxury segment Lamborghini handed over 240 cars, Bentley delivered 1,272 units. The sports car manufacturer Porsche, which became a Volkswagen Group brand on August 1, 2012, delivered a total of 27,458 cars from January to September 2013. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles reported a very strong increase in the first three quarters of 18.5 percent and handed over 1,804 units in mainland China and Hong Kong.