In China, the Group delivered 531,600 vehicles (+23.2 per cent), thus topping the half a million mark for the first time in the first half of a year. The Group also achieved strong growth from January to June in Brazil, where deliveries rose by 21.8 per cent to 316,000, and in Central and Eastern Europe (+18.7 per cent to 282,000). The Group’s highest percentage growth in the first six months of 2008 came from India (+69.2 per cent to 10,400 vehicles), Russia (+63.3 per cent to 59,000 vehicles) and Ukraine (+46.9 per cent to 25,900 vehicles).

In Europe, the Group delivered 1.84 million vehicles (+1.3 percent) from January to June, of which 534,000 (+3.7 per cent) were delivered in Germany. In Western Europe (excluding Germany), where the market remained generally weak, the Group delivered 1.07 million vehicles (-3.6 per cent).

“With our customer-oriented model diversity and a focused growth strategy we have achieved a marked increase in our worldwide deliveries even though negative factors are accumulating,” Detlef Wittig, Executive Vice President, Group Sales and Marketing, commented. “The storm clouds are clearly gathering over the world’s automobile markets. Nevertheless, thanks to the strength of our brands and our model range, our development in June and throughout the first six months of 2008 has clearly been better than general market trends and we have grown our market shares worldwide.”

Volkswagen Passenger Cars, the Group’s highest volume brand, delivered 1.9 million vehicles (+5.8 per cent) worldwide in the first half of the year. Audi delivered 516,000 vehicles (+1.4 per cent) and Skoda delivered 367,000 vehicles (+17.9 percent). Seat sold 206,000 vehicles (-7.5 per cent), Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles delivered 264,000 vehicles (+12.9 per cent). Bentley delivered 4,700 vehicles to customers, Lamborghini 1,300 and Bugatti 35.