VW China H1 sales up 45.7% to 950,278 vehicles

Shanghai, July 12 (Gasgoo.com) Volkswagen AG, Europe's biggest automaker, said today that its vehicle sales in China, including Hong Kong, grew 45.7% from a year earlier to 950,278 units in the first half of the year, media reported.

VW China said its first-half sales included those achieved by the company's two Chinese joint ventures, Shanghai VW (JV with SAIC Motor) and FAW-VW (JV with FAW Group). Sales of Volkswagen-brand vehicles rose 40.2% to 755,739 units, and deliveries of Audi luxury-brand sedans rose 64% to 109,887.

"We are practically sold out of many of our models," said Winfried Vahland, president and chief executive officer of Volkswagen China. The nearly 46% growth in H1 sales was partly boosted by introducing new models to attract consumers in the world's largest vehicle market.

Volkswagen sold 1.4 million vehicles in China last year and has set its "medium-term" target of annual China sales at more than 2 million units. The German auto giant plans to invest 4.4 billion euros ($5.5 bln) to expand production capacity and introduce new models in China.

General Motors, VW's biggest global rival in the Chinese market and also partner of China's biggest carmaker SAIC Motor, increased sales 49% to 1.21 million vehicles in the first six months.