19th January, 2009

For the first time ever, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has sold more than half a million commercial vehicles in a single year. With 503,025 commercial vehicles delivered to customers in 2008, the brand increased its numbers by 2.9 per cent compared to the previous year (2007: 488,726).

"Despite the difficult market trends in the second six months of the year we have achieved the best ever sales level in the history of our company, which we can be proud of, and rightly so," says Stephan Schaller, CEO of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. The brand achieved increases especially in its main markets of Europe and South America.

The T5 family was again the most popular product (Transporter and Multivan), resulting in 178,000 deliveries (2007: 191,200). The Caddy achieved a delivery result of 151,570 units (2007:147,130). The Crafter also continued its positive development with 51,100 deliveries (2007: 46,160).

The models Saveiro and T2, manufactured in Brazil, rose to a total of 67,270 units being sold (2007: 57,440). In 2008, the Truck & Bus category sold 45,780 trucks (2007: 38,820) and 9,280 buses (2007: 7,960).

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles was able to further extend its market leadership in Europe selling 332,372 light commercial vehicles and gaining a sales increase of 1.1 per cent (2007: 328,766). The most important markets next to Germany, which had 124,850 deliveries, (increase of 2.3 per cent) were especially France (increase of 5.3 per cent) and Italy (increase of 14.3 per cent). In Central and East Europe, the deliveries rose by 22 per cent to approximately 49,000 vehicles.

In South America deliveries rose by 18.6 per cent to 119,100 light and heavy commercial vehicles (2007: 100,440). In the main market of Brazil, 105,620 units were sold – a rise of 23.7 per cent compared to the previous year (85,370).

Harald Schomburg, member of the brand board of management of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles for sales and marketing: "Our customers continue to trust in the competence of our brand and models in these current economically difficult times. This trust will also be our competitive advantage in the difficult year 2009 that lies ahead of us."

"Of course, also Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles cannot avoid the changed economic environment," emphasises Schaller. "However, we are holding on to our long-term goal of selling 750,000 light commercial vehicles in the year of 2018." The new utility (due late 2009), further new products and the entering into new markets will continue to strengthen the course of the profitable growth of the brand in the coming years.