VW to build 10 new car models in China by 2010

Shanghai, February 27 (Gasgoo.com) As part of its newly issued 10-year China market strategy, Volkswagen AG said its two Chinese ventures Shanghai VW and FAW VW will produce at least 10 new models in the 2009-2010 period, and will launch four models each year by 2018, xinhuanet.com reported today.

By the end of 2010, FAW VW will launch four all-new models including the 6th-generation Golf model and Besturn 1.4TSI model, and its long-awaited Audi Q5 will come to the market by November this year.

Meanwhile, Shanghai VW will release its new Passat, Tiguan SUV and VW NMS (Volkswagen New Midsize Sedan). As the youngest Volkswagen brand in China, Skoda will have its Superb and new Octavia models made in Shanghai VW and put to market by 2010.

The power-train strategy driven by Volkswagen's world-leading TSI and DSG technologies will also be applied to the new models made in FAW VW and Shanghai VW, aiming to cut the fuel consumption of all China-made VW cars by at least 20%.

German auto giant Volkswagen AG announced in Beijing yesterday that it has planned to double its annual vehicle sales in China to 2 million units by 2018 and also to double its Chinese dealerships to 2,000 in the same period.

Volkswagen has 19% market share in China now, compared to 12% for GM and 7% for Toyota. Volkswagen and Toyota have bigger potential in the Chinese market than other global carmakers, experts said.