(June 12, 2012) WOLFSBURG — Worldwide deliveries by the Volkswagen passenger cars brand increased by 9.4 per cent in the period from January to May to 2.29 million units. The brand handed over 476,900 vehicles to customers in May, a 9.3 percent increase over May 2011.

“The Volkswagen passenger cars brand achieved a very respectable performance on markets worldwide in May. However, the situation on markets in Western Europe remains tense,” said Christian Klingler, board member for Sales and Marketing for the Volkswagen Group and the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand, commented.

Volkswagen Up, on sale in Europe

Deliveries of Volkswagen cars grew outside Europe. The Asia-Pacific region increased of 14.8 per cent. Cars in the North America region for the period January to May grew 24.4 per cent to 242,100 vehicles, of which 170,600 units were handed over to customers in the USA. In South America, the brand delivered 312,200 vehicles, a slim .02 percent gain.

The ongoing difficult situation on markets in Western Europe also had an impact on vehicle deliveries, with Volkswagen handing over 742,900 units on the overall European market from January to May, a 2.8 percent gain.

In Western Europe (excluding Germany) deliveries for the period to May were down 5.8 per cent at 378,600 units. On the home market of Germany, Volkswagen grew deliveries 2.9 per cent to 255,900 vehicles.

Deliveries in the Central and Eastern Europe region grew by a substantial 50.8 per cent to 108,400 units. In Russia, deliveries continued to develop at a high level and totaled 65,300, a 90.1 per cent gain.