Shanghai VW's Chinese sales in 2012 exceed 1.28m units

Gasgoo.com (Shanghai January 9) - Shanghai Volkswagen's final sales performance review for 2012 has finally been released. According to the performance review, which was cited in a Gasgoo.com (Chinese) report appearing today, Shanghai VW sold just over 1.28 million vehicles in 2012, representing positive year-on-year growth of 9.8 percent and marking a new record for the joint venture. The JV's sales in the month of December totaled 122,644 units.

The joint venture's sales of VW automobiles totaled 1.05 million vehicles for the year, 11 percent more than the amount sold in 2011. Thanks to Shanghai VW's contribution, the VW brand topped the list of best selling automobile brands in the country for yet another year. The much awaited New Santana (pictured above) performed especially well in the short time it has been on the market, managing to accumulate 2,919 orders. The New Lavida, which also made its debut during the course of the year, brought in 95,088 orders, helping push the Lavida family's total sales to 246,687 units. The Passat brand's sales last year broke the 230,000 unit barrier, representing year-on-year growth of 41 percent. Meanwhile, sales of the Polo brand, which has been active in China for a decade now, totaled 137,949 units last year, growing 13 percent from 2011. 2012 sales of the Tiguan SUV and Touran minivan respectively totaled 173,000 units and 36,000 units, with the latter leading its segment.

2012 marks the fifth year anniversary for Shanghai VW's Skoda brand in China. A total of 230,003 Skodas were sold over the course of the year, 4.5 percent more than the amount sold in 2011. Sales of the flagship Octavia totaled 137,616 units, while those of the Superb and Fabia totaled 48,280 units and 44,000 units, respectively.