Volkswagen On A Tear Globally, Misses GM In China By A Hair

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

Volkswagen has ended the year on a strong note. Shrugging off the troubles at home in Europe, Volkswagen increased its global group sales by a respectable 20.7 percent in December of 2012, bringing its global group sales for the year above the 9 million mark at an 11.2% increase compared to 2011.

Volkswagen performed most of this miracle in China. Less than 10 years ago, China was treated by Volkswagen as a penal colony for wayward executives. Now it is Volkswagen’s strategic high ground. Volkswagen is on a tear in China. In December alone, it sold 130,000 units more In China than in December 2011. For the full year, Volkswagen is ahead 550,000 units in China, making more than up for the 10,000 units it sold less in beleaguered Europe.

Volkswagen global group deliveries December 201212M’1212M’11YoYDec’12Dec ’11YoYTotal9,070,0008,160,00011.2%784,300649,70020.7%Europe3,670,0003,680,000-0.3%270,000300,000-10.0%Ger1,180,0001,150,0001.9%80,00090,000-11.1%WEur ex D1,850,0001,980,000-6.5%140,000160,000-12.5%EEur644,300547,80017.6%53,50052,9001.1%China2,810,0002,260,00024.5%280,000150,00086.7%USA596,100444,20034.2%62,10045,50036.5%South Am1,010,000930,0008.2%86,20074,40015.9%Black: VW data. Blue: TTAC calculatedIncluding Porsche from August 1, 2012. Excluding MAN and Scania

The Volkswagen Group delivered 2.81 million units in China this year, missing GM’s 2.84 million by less than 30,000 – a rounding error in China. Most importantly: All of Volkswagen’s sales in China are high margin products, whereas more than half of GM’s China sales are low-cost, low-margin Wulings. Also, it is quite interesting that GM waited with its announcement of December and full year China sales until the very day Volkswagen would announce theirs, a Sunday no less. Usually, GM announces very early in the month.

Volkswagen global deliveries 2012 by brand12M’1212M’11YoYVolkswagen Passenger Cars5,740,0005,090,00012.7%Audi1,460,0001,300,00011.7%Porsche59,500 See noteŠKODA939,200879,2006.8%SEAT321,000350,0008.3%Volkswagen Commercial550,400528,9004.1%Note: Including Porsche from August 1, 2012. Excluding MAN and Scania

As far as the World’s Largest Automakers go , our prediction, repeated since May 2012, remains unchanged: #1 Toyota, #2 GM, #3 Volkswagen.

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

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.

More by Bertel Schmitt

Comments
Join the conversation
 2 comments
  • The Oracle Well, we’re 3-4 years in with the Telluride and right around the time the long term durability issues start to really take hold. This is sad.
  • CoastieLenn No idea why, but nothing about a 4Runner excites me post-2004. To me, they're peak "try-hard", even above the Wrangler and Gladiator.
  • AZFelix A well earned anniversary.Can they also attend to the Mach-E?
  • Jalop1991 The intermediate shaft and right front driveshaft may not be fully engaged due to suspected improper assembly by the supplier. Over time, partial engagement can cause damage to the intermediate shaft splines. Damaged shaft splines may result in unintended vehicle movement while in Park if the parking brake is not engagedGee, my Chrysler van automatically engages the parking brake when we put it in Park. Do you mean to tell me that the idjits at Kia, and the idjit buyers, couldn't figure out wanting this in THEIR MOST EXPENSIVE VEHICLE????
  • Dukeisduke I've been waiting to see if they were going to do something special for the 60th Anniversary. I was four years old when the Mustang was introduced. I can remember that one of our neighbors bought a '65 coupe (they were all titled as '65 models, even the '64-1/2 cars), and it's the first one I can remember seeing. In the '90s I knew an older gentleman that owned a '64-1/2 model coupe with the 260 V8.
Next