What Does Not Kill Us, Makes Us Stronger: Volkswagen Survives Nicely, Thank You
Volkswagen shows yet again that you are not automatically doomed just because you are a Europe-based carmaker. Its global group sales are up 10.4 percent to 8.29 million units from January to November, after a 11.7 percent rise in November.
Even in a weak European market, that confronted major automakers with double digit decreases, the Volkswagen Group kept its head over water, increasing its sales 0.7 percent for the year. Volkswagen remains healthy in its home market Germany, and is especially strong in Eastern Europe.
In the world’s largest car market China, the Volkswagen Group is up 20 percent for the year and 22.7 percent for the month of November. With 2.53 million units delivered through November, VW is nipping at the heels of GM which delivered 2.6 million units so far. Separated by 70,000 units, it is unlikely that Volkswagen displaces GM as China’s largest auto group this year. 2013 will be a different matter. The momentum definitely is on the side of VW, which in November once more sold more cars than GM in China.
All brands in Volkswagen’s sprawling empire are up, with the exception of SEAT, down 8.2 percent for the year.
As far as the World’s Largest Automakers are concerned, it is pretty much decided. Volkswagen is set to end the year with around 9 million units, Toyota with somewhere around 10 million, and GM somewhere in between the both. Toyota will release November data by the end of the month. We won’t hear from GM until it releases 4th quarter data in February.
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
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I'm watching VWs sales growth in the US. The latest models seem to be well received by the car buying public if not the critics. I'm particularily interested to see if their quality and long term durability have significantly improved. They have been the bottom dwellers in these areas for at least a decade now. From what I can gather thorugh the unbiase internets, part of the problem is their gawd awfull dealer network and the other part is cheapening thier components to absurd levels. I do think they have the best advertising. I would not buy one of their cars, but might lease one for the right deal. That way, if it turned out to be junk in three years, I could retrun it. If they truly changed their ways in the US, they will likely hold on to their increased sales. If not, it'a back to live in mon's basement for them.
Just another reason not to buy one.