OREANDA-NEWS. Deliveries by the Volkswagen Group increased by 0.6 percent in the first four months of the year. 3.36 million vehicles were handed over to customers worldwide from January to April 2016. At 853,300 units, deliveries in April matched the prior-year level. “The start to the second quarter highlights the mixed developments on regional markets. While we recorded a marked increase in Europe and North America, the South American market declined. Deliveries in Russia rose for the first time in months. Nevertheless, the situation on the Russian market remains tense and we are still proceeding with caution,” Fred Kappler, Head of Group Sales at Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, said.

Group brands delivered 374,500 new vehicles in Europe in April, an increase of 3.8 percent compared with the previous year. Western Europe saw solid development in April with deliveries running at 317,300 units (+2.9 percent), of which 121,900 new vehicles (+3.8 percent) were handed over to customers on the home market of Germany. April also saw strong growth (+9.3 percent) on markets in Central and Eastern Europe. 14,200 vehicles were delivered to customers in Russia in April, an increase of 0.4 percent.

The company handed over 82,300 vehicles to customers in the North American market in April, an increase of 4.9 percent compared with the previous year. While there was a strong growth dynamic in Mexico, the decline on the US market continued (-3.6 percent). The situation on the overall passenger car market in South America remains tense and the Volkswagen Group is not immune to this trend. 38,900 vehicles (-18.2 percent) were handed over to customers in April, of which 24,300 were delivered on the Brazilian market.

There has been very solid growth in the Asia-Pacific region since the beginning of the year. Deliveries rose by 3.1 percent compared with the previous year to 1,366,800 units. 1,250,800 vehicles were handed over to customers in China during the same period, representing 4.8 percent growth. Despite intense competition in China, 295,300 vehicles (+0.1 percent) were delivered to customers there in April.