VW poised to beat GM in China sales race
Volkswagen AG is poised to overtake General Motors as China's top-selling foreign automaker after posting a 15 percent November gain.
VW delivered 310,000 vehicles in the world's largest auto market last month, exceeding GM's sales of 294,500 units, which gained 13 percent.
Through the first 11 months, the German automaker has sold 2.96 million cars and trucks in China, while GM has sold 2.89 million units. GM was China's top-selling foreign automaker last year.
While VW now sits atop the China market, not all VW brands fared equally well. The company's luxury brands -- Audi and Porsche -- boosted sales, while value brand Skoda continued to struggle.
Audi sales in the first 11 months increased to 443,700 units, while Porsche sold 34,113 units, up 17 percent. However, Skoda deliveries declined nearly 4 percent to 217,400 units.
In the first 11 months, Volkswagen-brand passenger car sales in China increased 18 percent to 2.3 million units.
The automaker considers China to be the centerpiece of its campaign to be the world's top automaker by 2018.
Over the next five years, VW will spend 18.2 billion euros (149 billion yuan) on new assembly plants and models in China. During that time, the company expects to increase Chinese production by 60 percent.
Through the first 11 months, the German automaker has sold 2.96 million cars and trucks in China, while GM has sold 2.89 million units. GM was China's top-selling foreign automaker last year.
While VW now sits atop the China market, not all VW brands fared equally well. The company's luxury brands -- Audi and Porsche -- boosted sales, while value brand Skoda continued to struggle.
Audi sales in the first 11 months increased to 443,700 units, while Porsche sold 34,113 units, up 17 percent. However, Skoda deliveries declined nearly 4 percent to 217,400 units.
In the first 11 months, Volkswagen-brand passenger car sales in China increased 18 percent to 2.3 million units.
The automaker considers China to be the centerpiece of its campaign to be the world's top automaker by 2018.
Over the next five years, VW will spend 18.2 billion euros (149 billion yuan) on new assembly plants and models in China. During that time, the company expects to increase Chinese production by 60 percent.
