Volkswagen Group's Global Sales Decline By 1.8 Per Cent In January 2019

The Volkswagen Group delivered 882,200 vehicles to customers worldwide in January 2019 which was 1.8 percent down compared to the same month last year. The company's sales were down by 2.9 per cent in largest single market of China. In Europe, the brands of the Volkswagen Group delivered a total of 334,400 vehicles in January 2019, 0.5 percent up on the same month last year. Group performance was especially strong in Central and Eastern Europe, where 56,100 vehicles were delivered, an increase of 3.3 percent. At 278,300 units, deliveries by the Group in Western Europe remained stable (0.0 percent). Group brands grew deliveries slightly in Germany, handing over 98,600 vehicles to customers (+0.7 percent).

The Group delivered 64,400 vehicles to customers in North America in January, a decline of 5.2 percent. The severe cold snap at the beginning of the year, which hit the Midwest particularly hard, was one crucial factor. As a result, the Group delivered 43,100 vehicles (-2.8 percent) in the USA and 6,300 units (-8.3 percent) in Canada. In a persistently difficult economic environment in Mexico, Group brands handed over 15,100 vehicles in January, a drop of 10.2 percent compared with January 2018.

In the South America region, the Volkswagen Group delivered a total of 45,500 vehicles in January, a decrease of 4.9 percent - in an overall market that declined even more sharply. Brazil was a further strong market for the Group, with 31,300 vehicles delivered to customers there (+11.5 percent). However, it was not possible to offset losses in Argentina, where 9,700 vehicles (-34.3 percent) were delivered in a market that continued to decline.

Dr. Christian Dahlheim, Head of Volkswagen Group Sales, commented: "The Volkswagen Group made a solid start to the new year with relatively stable delivery figures. The fact that we won market shares in a broadly declining overall world market is a good result. It shows the strength of our brands and their products. The persistently volatile geopolitical environment and looming economic risks in individual markets will have a decisive impact on our business this year, and I believe China and Brexit will present us with special challenges, particularly in the first few months of the year."

In the Asia-Pacific region, the Volkswagen Group handed over 408,300 vehicles to customers in January - 3.1 percent down on the same month last year. In China, the Group's most important single market that currently accounts for 44 percent of all deliveries, 387,300 customers took delivery of their new vehicle from the Group family, 2.9 percent down on January 2018. Even though the Group was not entirely immune to the generally declining market trend, it nevertheless managed to increase its overall market share still further.