JANUARY SALES - VW GROUP - Group shows slight gain worldwide in January.

• Group Board Member for Sales Christian Klingler:“We made a stable start to another challenging year”

The Volkswagen Group began the year with a slight increase in deliveries of 0.7 per cent. The Company with its twelve brands delivered 817,600 (January 2014: 811,500) vehicles worldwide. “The Volkswagen Group made a stable start to the year. 

Our premium brands Audi and Porsche, along with ŠKODA and SEAT, put in a particularly strong performance,” Group Board Member for Sales Christian Klingler said in Wolfsburg on Friday. “Looking ahead to the full year we can expect the global uncertainties to continue – and 2015 will be another challenging year,” Klingler added.

Including the figures for heavy commercial vehicles, Group brands delivered a total of 287,400 (279,400; +2.9 per cent) vehicles to customers on the overall European market in the first month of the year. 152,200 (149,300; +1.9 per cent) customers took possession of a new vehicle in Western Europe (excluding Germany). 89,300 (84,200; +6.1 per cent) units were delivered in the home market of Germany. 

The Group handed over 45,900 vehicles to customers in Central and Eastern Europe, matching the figure for January of last year. 13,800 (16,600; -16.9 per cent) units were delivered in Russia.

The Company delivered 63,200 (58,000; +9.0 per cent) vehicles in the North America region in January, of which 39,200 (36,900; +6.1 per cent) were handed over to customers in the United States. The Volkswagen Group delivered 53,900 (67,900; -20.7 per cent) vehicles in the South America region during the same period, of which 38,500 (48,500; -20.7 per cent) were handed over to customers in Brazil.

381,300 (375,000; +1.7 per cent) vehicles were delivered to customers in the Asia-Pacific region in the first month of the year, of which 351,400 (344,500; +2.0 per cent) were handed over in China (incl. Hong Kong), the Group’s largest single market.

Outline of developments at Group brands

The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand delivered 507,100 (521,600; -2.8 per cent) vehicles to customers worldwide in January 2015.

The premium brand Audi handed over 137,700 (124,900) vehicles in the first month of the year, a substantial rise of 10.3 per cent.

The sports car manufacturer Porsche delivered a total of 16,000 (12,200) vehicles, representing an increase of 31.2 per cent compared with the previous year.

The Czech brand ŠKODA delivered 87,000 (80,900) vehicles in January, an increase of 7.5 per cent.

SEAT handed over 27,700 (26,000; +6.4 per cent) vehicles to customers during the first month of the year.

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles delivered 30,600 (31,600; -3.3 per cent) vehicles during the same period.

The MAN commercial vehicles brand delivered 5,600 (7,800; -29.0 per cent) units in the first month of the year.

The Swedish brand Scania delivered 5,000 (5,600; -9,7 per cent) heavy trucks and buses to customers in January.

JANUARY SALES - VOLKSWAGEN - WORLDWIDE - VW's sales drop in January.

The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand delivered 507,100 (January 2014: 521,600) vehicles to customers worldwide in the first month of this year, 2.8 per cent down on the same month of the prior year. “Deliveries by the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand show we are facing a challenging year. 

Volkswagen was not immune to the uncertainties in some regions that have continued into the current year,” Christian  Klingler, Board Member for Sales and Marketing for the Volkswagen Group and the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand, commented in Wolfsburg on Wednesday.

Developments in the global delivery situation in the first month of the year were mixed. 

The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand handed over 124,900 (126,100; -1.0 per cent) vehicles to customers on the overall European market in January. Compared with the same month ofthe prior year, 66,100 (66,200; -0.1 per cent) units were delivered inWestern Europe (excluding Germany). The company handed over 42,900 (41,400; +3.4 per cent) vehicles in Germany. 

15,900 (18,500; -14.2 per cent) customers took possession of a new Volkswagen in Central and Eastern Europe in January, of which 6,200 (8,600; -28.3 per cent) units were delivered in Russia.

The brand delivered 282,000 (285,300; -1.2 per cent) vehicles in the Asia-Pacific region in January, of which 265,900 (267,800; -0.7 per cent) were handed over to customers in China (incl. Hong Kong). In contrast, deliveries in the North America region grew to 41,800 (39,700; +5.3 per cent). Volkswagen handed over 23,500 vehicles to customers in the United States, matching the figure for Januaryof last year. 

Volkswagen Passenger Cars delivered 45,200 (55,200; -18.1 per cent) units in the South America region, of which 34,200 (40,300; -15.2 per cent) were handed over to customers in Brazil.

JANUARY SALES - WORLDWIDE - BMW - all brands shows growth, around the globe.

• 142,154 vehicles delivered to customers, increase of 7.0%
• Robertson: Further growth in 2015 anticipated
• Schwarzenbauer: MINI will build on momentum in 2015

Following on from a record-breaking 2014, where the BMW Group delivered more than two million vehicles, 2015 has got off to a good start with sales up 7.0% compared with the same month last year. A total of 142,154 BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce vehicles were delivered to customers in January, a new high for the month (prev. yr. 132,906).

“This is a positive start, building on the success of last year,” said Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Sales and Marketing BMW. “Looking ahead, we are aiming for further growth in 2015, despite still challenging economic conditions in some markets. There are a number of very exciting model launches coming up this year and our target is to increase global sales for a fifth successive year,” Robertson added.

BMW sales were higher than any previous January: 124,561 BMW brand vehicles were delivered to customers, 6.3% up on the same month last year (117,178). 4,247 customers took delivery of the recently launched 2 Series Active Tourer and demand for the new BMW 4 Series vehicles remains strong with a total of 8,537 delivered worldwide. The success of the BMW X family also continues. 

A total of 4,555 BMW X4s were sold in January while the BMW X5 saw significant sales growth of 40.9% compared with the same month last year (12,035 / prev. yr. 8,540). Sales of the BMW X6 showed positive growth with 2,889 delivered worldwide, 2.5% up on the previous year (2,819).

In the first month of the year, sales of the innovative BMW i vehicles totalled 1,845. Around the world, 1,416 customers took delivery of a BMW i3 while sales of the BMW i8 in January totalled 429.

Overall sales of MINI brand vehicles were also higher than ever before in January, with the brand achieving double-digit growth of 12.0% compared with the same period last year (17,373 / prev. yr. 15.510). “Following on from our core model change last year, MINI is aiming for sustainable growth in 2015,” said Peter Schwarzenbauer, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for MINI, BMW Motorrad and Rolls-Royce. 

“The strong sales of the new MINI 3 door and 5 door models we saw in the fourth quarter have continued into the new year and I am confident that these and other new upcoming models will see MINI building on this momentum throughout the year,” Schwarzenbauer added. Sales of the new MINI 3 door are up 33.6% on the same period last year, totalling 7,502 units (prev. yr. 5,616) and the new MINI 5 door model was delivered to a total of 3,876 customers worldwide.

Following the strategy of balanced sales across the globe, the BMW Group saw sales increase in almost all regions.

Deliveries of BMW and MINI models in Asia were up 6.6% compared with January last year (54,188 / prev. yr. 50,841) with several markets contributing to the growth. Deliveries in Mainland China increased by 7.9% (40,081 / prev. yr. 37,137) while sales in South Korea rose 16.9% (4,045 / prev. yr. 3,460).

In the Americas, a total of 27,450 BMW and MINI vehicles were delivered to customers (prev. yr. 25,977 / +5.7%). Sales in the USA totalled 22,209, an increase of 6.8% (prev. yr. 20,796). Sales in Brazil grew by a significant 18.5%, with a total of 1,139 customer deliveries (prev. yr. 961).

The positive growth seen in Europe in 2014 continues into January, with the region posting sales up 8.5% on the same month last year. A total of 55,676 new BMW and MINI vehicles were delivered to customers in the region in January (prev. yr. 51,333). Double-digit growth was recorded in a number of markets. 

Sales in Scandinavia were up 11.5% compared with January last year with a total of 3,300 vehicles delivered to customers (prev. yr. 2,959). Similar sales growth was seen in the Netherlands, where 1,820 vehicles were sold in January (prev. yr. 1,639 / +11.0%). Positive growth was also achieved in the BMW Group’s home market in Germany, where 19,396 new BMW and MINI vehicles were registered (prev. yr. 18,760 / +3.4%).

The year has started very positively for BMW Motorrad. A total of 6,263 maxi-scooters and motorcycles were delivered to customers, a sales increase of 15.2% compared with January last year (prev. yr. 5,438).

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BMW Group sales in January 2015 at a glance

	In January 2015	Compared to previous year
BMW Group Automobiles	142,154	+7.0%
BMW	124,561	+6.3%
MINI	17,373	+12.0%
BMW Motorrad	6,263	+15.2%

Skoda celebrates producing 17,000,000th model in 120 year rich and varied history.

ŠKODA has produced their 17 millionth vehicle. The jubilee car – a ŠKODA Rapid Spaceback in ‚Corrida Red’ – ran off the production line at the ŠKODA headquarters in Mladá Boleslav. The vehicle is going to a customer in Germany. This production milestone is a highlight of the Czech carmaker’s successful growth strategy. In 2014 ŠKODA manufactured and sold more than 1 million cars for the first time during a single year in the company’s 120-year history. Over the coming years, ŠKODA plans to increase sales to at least 1.5 million per year.

“ŠKODA is doing extremely well,” says ŠKODA CEO Prof. Dr. h.c. Winfried Vahland. “Producing 17 million vehicles since 1905 demonstrates the brand’s strength and sustained success. Since 1991, when ŠKODA joined forces with Volkswagen, we have manufactured more than 12 million cars. Now, we can definitely say we are established in the ‘Champions League’ of international volume manufacturers. ŠKODA will continue to grow over the coming years with new models.” 

ŠKODA is one of the longest-established vehicle manufacturing companies in the world. Automobile production began in 1905: In that year, the ŠKODA founders Laurin and Klement built their first automobile in Mladá Boleslav, a Voiturette A. Since then, the company has produced 17 million vehicles at their Czech and international plants. 

ŠKODA has made incredible progress especially since joining the Volkswagen Group in 1991. The rapid resurgence of the legendary automobile brand has indeed been impressive – from the company’s roots in the heart of Europe to an internationally successful manufacturer with currently seven model series and over 40 model variants. In 2014 ŠKODA achieved the magic threshold of producing and selling one million vehicles in a single year for the first time in the company’s history. Global sales in 2014 reached a new record of 1.04 million vehicles delivered. 

“We are not going to become complacent; we are picking up the pace,” says Prof. Vahland. Over the coming years, the company plans to increase annual car sales to at least 1.5 million. The main driving force behind the growth strategy is ŠKODA’s most comprehensive model campaign of all time. Since 2011, the brand’s model range has been comprehensively renewed and has expanded into important segments. The most recent addition is the new ŠKODA Fabia that has been setting standards in the small car class since its launch a few months ago. As early as mid-February, ŠKODA will be introducing the new ŠKODA Superb. ŠKODA’s completely redeveloped flagship heralds in a new era for the brand and is and will be the best ŠKODA ever. The market launch is set for early June this year.

The manufacturer has implemented their growth strategy not only in Europe but also in the international growth markets. The Chinese market, in particular, is playing a key role. In 2014 China was once again ŠKODA strongest individual market with a 27% share of total sales. 

The company’s international orientation is also demonstrated in their global production network, which has expanded significantly over recent years. ŠKODA vehicles are currently produced at 13 production locations in the Czech Republic, China, Russia, India, Slovakia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine. Over the coming years, the Czech carmaker plans to increase their production capacities further.  

Selected milestones in ŠKODA AUTO’s production: 

›30 January 2015: 17 million ŠKODA vehicles since 1905

›10 December 2014: ŠKODA manufactures the 1,000,000th vehicle in 2014 – the first time the company had produced one million vehicles in a single year  

› 19 March 2014: 11 million ŠKODA cars produced at the Mladá Boleslav plant

› 9 July 2013: 1 Million ŠKODA vehicles in China since 2007

› 5 February 2013: 15 million ŠKODA vehicles since 1905

› 30 January 2012: 14 million ŠKODA vehicles since 1905

› 12 October 2011: 10 million ŠKODA vehicles at the Mladá Boleslav plant

› 8 April 2009: 12 million ŠKODA vehicles since 1905

› 13 July 2006: 10 million ŠKODA vehicles since 1905

› 1991: 5 million ŠKODA vehicles since 1905

JANUARY SALES WORLDWIDE - VOLVO - Growth in all major markets

Volvo Cars’ global sales up 1.6 percent, growth in all key markets

• Volvo Cars’ 19^th consecutive month of growth
• Global sales of 30,854 cars, up 1.6 per cent versus January last year

Volvo Cars posted a 19^th consecutive month of retail sales growth in January with Europe, China and the United States all recording sales increases compared to January 2014.

Sales of Volvo Cars in Europe rose 4.9 per cent versus the same month last year. Most European markets did well, with the United Kingdom being the main growth driver; up 34.4 per cent versus January 2014.

Sweden remains a growing market for Volvo Cars with retail sales of 3,628 cars, up 0.2 per cent from the same month last year, and Volvo Cars retains its 20 per cent market share. The Volvo XC60 and XC70 crossovers were the best-selling models.

China also reported growth with January sales of 5,879 cars, up 0.7 per cent versus January last year. Volvo Cars’ best-selling models in China were the XC60 and the S60L.

Sales in the United States were up by 0.1 per cent to 3,795 cars in January. The best-selling models were the Volvo XC60 and S60.

“2014 was a good year and we continue the positive trend into 2015 with our 19^th month of consecutive growth,” says Alain Visser, Senior Vice President Marketing, Sales and Customer Service at Volvo Cars. “The fact that we have received over 15,000 pre-orders for the all new XC90 before its arrival in showrooms shows promise for Volvo Cars’ future.”

Retail sales status (deliveries to end customers) for Volvo Car Group is as follows:

	January
	2014	2015	Change
China	5 841	5 879	0,7%
USA	3 792	3 795	0,1%
Sweden	3 621	3 628	0,2%
Western Europe*	11 701	12 277	4,9%
Other markets	5 417	5 275	-2,6%
TOTAL	30 372	30 854	1,6%
*excluding Sweden

The Volvo XC60 was the best-selling mode in January with 10,403 sold cars (2014: 8,947), followed by the Volvo V40 and V40 Cross Country for which deliveries reached a total of 6,990 cars (2014: 6,575). The V60 and V60 Cross Country models were third best selling at 3,989 cars (2014: 4,628).