Volkswagen Sold 10.3 Million Vehicles in 2016 Despite Dieselgate Crisis

2016 was possibly one of the most challenging year for Volkswagen Group following its dieselgate emission scandal. However, despite having to resolve and overcome the diesel crisis, the German automaker managed to sell 10.3 millions vehicles worldwide last year, a rise of 3.8% compared with the prior-year figure.

Full-year deliveries by the Volkswagen Group brands in Europe in 2016 totaled 4.2 million units (+4.0%), of which 340,600 new vehicles (+9.2%) were handed over to customers in December. Deliveries by the Group in Western Europe in December rose by 9.2% to 282,100 units. The company also recorded strong growth in the UK, Italy and France in December. 92,900 vehicles were handed over to customers in Germany in December – a decrease of 2.6%. Deliveries in Central and Eastern Europe during the same month rose by 8.8% to 58,500 units.

The Group handed over 939,100 new vehicles (+0.8%) to customers in the North America region last year. 94,000 vehicles were delivered in this region in December, an increase of 10.3%. Deliveries in the USA (+16.1%) contributed decisively to this positive trend. The Group delivered 36,500 vehicles in South America in December – a rise of 5.0% compared with the previous year.

4.3 million new vehicles (+9.7%) were delivered in the Asia-Pacific region in 2016, of which 4.0 million (+12.2%) were handed over to customers in China. Group deliveries to the Chinese market rose by 18.6% in December, with customers taking possession of 390,600 vehicles.

Matthias Müller, CEO of the Volkswagen Group, commented, “2016 was a very challenging year for us. We made strides in resolving and overcoming the diesel crisis and at the same time initiated a fundamental change process with ‘Together – Strategy 2025′ to get Volkswagen ready for the future of mobility. Nonetheless, we managed to stabilize operating business in difficult conditions: the fact that we handed over more than 10 million vehicles to customers last year bolsters the Group and its brands as we head for the future.”

“In 2017 we will be intensifying our efforts in the major technological fields of the future, in e-mobility, autonomous vehicles, the digitalization of our products and our Company. At the same time, though, we will not be neglecting today’s core business. Our Group brands will be putting almost 60 new vehicles on the road for their customers during the coming year”, Müller said.

“Apart from entirely new concepts, these include many of the brands’ core models such as the new Volkswagen Polo and Touareg, ŠKODA Yeti, SEAT Ibiza, Porsche Cayenne, Audi A8 and Bentley Continental GT. We are also systematically continuing with our e-mobility offensive and will be launching more than 10 new models with electric drives in 2017/18.”

Overview of deliveries by the Volkswagen Group:

Source: Volkswagen