(Novembr 23, 2010) Volkswagen AG expects to sell more than 7 million vehicles for the first time this year, the German carmaker's CEO, Martin Winterkorn, said today.

"The Volkswagen Group is benefiting disproportionately from the upswing in the most important car markets," Winterkorn told the Reuters News Service.

VW Group, which includes the VW, Audi, Skoda, Seat, Bentley and Lamborghini brands, sold a record 6.29 million vehicles cars last year.

VW aims to dethrone Toyota Motor Corp. as the world's top-selling automaker by 2018.

"This new delivery record is an important milestone for the implementation of our Strategy 2018," Winterkorn said, referring to the group's plan to sell more than 10 million cars by that year.