VW SALES INCREASE CONTINUES

[SkyPup]

Volkswagen AG raised its worldwide unit sales 4.2% to 720,000 during the first two months of the year, VWD news agency reported Tuesday.

February saw a 7% rise to 360,000 units, said VW supervisory board member Robert Buechelhofer. In western Europe, group unit sales were up 1.3% to 225,000 for the same period.

VW held its market share in Germany at 19.4% in February. A decline in January resulted from a statistical glitch, said Buechelhofer.

VW orders in western Europe in February were 5% higher than last year. "The signs are showing growth," he said.

Buechelhofer added the company expects to keep its 12% world market share for 2000.

Jens Neumann, another supervisory board member, said unit sales in the U.S. in February were more than 24,000, up from 21,000

 

[SkyPup]

Volkswagen AG will continue its double-digit North American sales growth this year and will achieve at least 10% more sales than in 1999, Board Member Jens Neumann said.

Neumann - who is, among other things, the board member in charge of North America - sees the company selling 350,000 cars in North America this year.

"January and February (unit sales) have been good," he said, and added that the company offered "hardly any incentives (on cars) all of last year."

For the Latin American region, Neumann said the group is expecting a strong recovery.

 

[BeeferD]

Hard to argue with good marketing coupled with a great product, but don't you think now would be a great time to market the gas saving nature of its product line, especially the TDI? They may be selling all the TDIs that they want, but they could be selling more. How long should it take a major manufacturer to react to a relatively sudden fuel price increase (that may not last?)...or at what point should they bother?

 

[cars wanted]

Car makers require YEARS to react to a market change such as high gas prices. When gas prices last increased substantially, back in 1979, it wasn't until 1982 to 1984 that many car makers came out with cars re-designed for minimal fuel consumption. Early 1980's examples would be the diesel Chevette, the diesel Ford Escort, a 35/50 mpg stripped version of the Nissan Sentra, and the like. Our current fuel price hike will likely not change any automotive product offerings, unless fuel prices increase even more, and stay high for more than a year.

 

[cars wanted]

What does Jens Neumann mean by a 10% growth rate resulting in sales of 350,000 cars in North America this year?! It doesn't make sense; in 1999 VWoA accidentally managed to sell 315,000 cars in the U.S.A., 40,000 or so cars in Canada, and untold thousands more in Mexico. If VWoA sells only 350,000 cars in North America this year, it would represent an actual DROP in the number of cars sold.

 

[SkyPup]

WOLFSBURG, Germany -- Volkswagen AG (G.VOW) said Wednesday its Volkswagen of America unit sold 27,096 vehicles in February, up 30% from a year earlier.

It was the best February for sales in 25 years for the unit, Volkswagen said.

In January and February, Volkswagen of America sold 50,946 vehicles, up 38% from a year earlier.

Its Passat and Jetta models sold better than all other models in February, Volkswagen said.

Volkswagen board member Jens Neumann expects North American sales to rise by at least 10% this year and that VW America will sell 350,000 cars in North America.

 

[VW Derf]

Attention Automotive/Business Editors:

February Canadian Volkswagen Sales up 10.1%



AJAX, ON, March 2 /CNW/ - Volkswagen Canada's sales in the month of February were 2,883 an increase of 10.1% over the 2,618 sold in February 1999.
The Jetta was the top model for Volkswagen in the month of February with sales totaling 1,567 an increase of 46.4% from February 1999.
Volkswagen Passat sales reached 291, an increase of 11.1% from the 262 of February 1999. Volkswagen's popular New Beetle, in its third model year, continues to show strong market appeal. To date 873 Beetles have been sold in 2000.
Year-to-date Volkswagen has retailed 5,294 units an increase of 16.2% over the 4,557 cars sold in the same period last year.
-0- 03/02/2000

 

[Frank TDI]

Is there any mention of how many TDI's were sold? DO they show a breakdownas far as power train? I have posted a question on general Dis TDI page. Give a look and respond if you can. Pretty serious if true.

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Frank TDI
1997 Jetta TDI- TB + TT Stainless
1999 Golf TDI- TB + TT Stainless