Volkswagen sees tough 2010 markets, 2009 sales up

Volkswagen is bracing for tough car markets in 2010 even as a 19.1 percent in group vehicle deliveries in November kept Europe's biggest carmaker on track for a slight sales gain this year.

"The coming year will be extremely difficult. Very different developments are expected on markets around the world," sales and marketing chief Detlef Wittig said in a statement on Friday.

"While the upward trend in China is anticipated to continue, we expect a marked decline on the European market in particular. So we cannot give the all-clear yet."