VW delays bringing Seat to China amid recession

Shanghai, March 5 (Gasgoo.com) As the financial crisis is deepening, Volkswagen AG will postpone its introduction of Seat brand vehicles to China, Winfried Vahland, president and CEO of Volkswagen Group China said to Beijing Times recently.

"Seat is a popular brand with Chinese young people according to our market survey conducted in China; however, under the influence of the financial crisis, VW will postpone the Seat introduction," Winfried Vahland said. That doesn't mean VW will give up Seat introduction, but actually the company has put it in the long-term program, he explained.

On Feb. 26, Volkswagen China announced its "Strategy 2018," which said the German automaker aims to sell at least two million vehicles annually in China by 2018, to double the current sales.

Winfried Vahland disclosed that passenger vehicles will take a major role in the two-million-unit sales target, but he didn't rule out the potential for commercial vehicles. "If we introduce commercial vehicles, the target of two million vehicles is likely to be raised," he added.