Volkswagen AG : Volkswagen Group China sold 2.26 million cars in 2011

Beijing, 2012-01-13

• Another record year: For the first time more than 2 million units sold in China
• Growth momentum might cool down but still positive outlook for 2012
• Go-West-Strategy - Neumann: "We see great potential in China's rural regions"

Volkswagen Group China today reported a new year of record sales. With its two Chinese joint ventures, Shanghai Volkswagen and FAW-Volkswagen, the Group announced a very strong performance in 2011 with 2.26 million (2010: 1.92 million, up 17.7 percent) vehicles delivered to customers in mainland China and Hong Kong. "I am very proud that we could again deliver a much stronger sales growth than the general market", said Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann, President and CEO of Volkswagen Group China, in Beijing. "Although we expect tougher conditions for the car industry to come, we want to maintain our leading market position in China."

Therefore, Volkswagen Group will bring more models and more green innovations to China. "After the successful introduction of our South China strategy we will now focus on Western China", Neumann said. As one of the pioneers of the Chinese car industry, the German company wants to develop the industry in the Western regions of China. "We see a great potential for an expansion in China's rural areas where millions of people will benefit from better mobility", said Neumann. As part of the Go-West-Strategy, the Group already opened a production facility in Chengdu in September.

The regional expansion will also further increase the current investment plan. So far, the two Chinese joint ventures of Volkswagen Group announced a record investment of € 14 billion until 2016 to bring more eco-friendly models to China and to build the cleanest production plants in China.

Sales records for all brands of the Group

• Sales of the Volkswagen Passenger brand amounted to 1.72 million vehicles
  (2010: 1.51, + 13.8 percent) including 61,700 imported vehicles.
• Audi delivered 313,000 vehicles to customers (2010: 228,000, + 37 percent) and
  has sold more cars in China and Hong Kong than ever before.
• For the first time ŠKODA sold over 200,000 cars in a single market. With 220,100
  units China is the most important market for the Czech automaker.
• Bentley sold 1,780 cars in mainland China and Hong Kong, Lamborghini sold 403
  cars in 2011.

The good result of the Volkswagen passenger car brand was made possible by the locally produced models like Tiguan, Lavida, New Bora, Golf, Sagitar and Volkswagen CC. Also the imported models Phaeton and Touareg sold very well in China.

Audi: Exceptional demand for imported models

Audi again secured its position as China's premium segment leader and China became Audi's largest sales market worldwide in 2011. Locally built vehicles had an excellent year with a total of 252,000 deliveries - representing a growth of 29.3 percent.

In Changchun Audi is producing the Q5 and the long-wheelbase versions A4L and A6L. All three models are market leaders of their respective segment in China. The new generation A6L is due to be launched in the first half of 2012.

Imported models enjoyed above-average growth of 89 percent and reached a record of 57,900 sales units (without Hong Kong).

ŠKODA: For the first time more than 200,000 cars sold

ŠKODA has been experiencing continued strong growth in China. The Czech automaker posted a remarkable double digit rise in deliveries in 2011 with the number of vehicles increasing to 220,100 units. This makes China the most important market for ŠKODA.

The Octavia remains on a high level of sales with more than 120,000 deliveries in 2011. The models Superb and Fabia enjoyed a very strong demand as well.