OREANDA-NEWS. The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand delivered 2.93 million vehicles to customers worldwide in the first six months of 2016, almost matching the prior-year level (2.95 million vehicles). At 492,800 units, deliveries in June were up on the comparable month last year. J?rgen Stackmann, Volkswagen Brand Board Member for Sales, commented: “The Volkswagen brand recorded an increase of 4.7 percent in June despite challenging conditions on key markets. In particular the stable performance in Europe and a strong result in China contributed to this positive achievement. The outstanding response to the new Tiguan provides further momentum for the second half of the year.”

Developments in the various regions of the world in June 2016 were mixed.

163,600 vehicles were handed over to customers on the overall European market, slightly up on the previous year (+0.1 percent). At 143,800 units, deliveries in Western Europe in June almost matched the prior-year level (-0.1 percent). A total of 55,600 customers took delivery of a Volkswagen on the home market of Germany (-1.1 percent).

Stackmann underscored that “the results of the first half year also reflect our customers’ continued high trust in the Volkswagen brand’s products. This is a good basis for the second half of the year.”

Developments in Central and Eastern Europe remained positive. 19,800 units were delivered there in June, an increase of 8.8 percent compared with the prior year. The Russian market was again down on the prior year, with deliveries falling by 8.1 percent.

275,300 vehicles were handed over to customers in the North America region during the first half year, a decrease of 5.6 percent over the comparable prior-year period.

In the Asia-Pacific region, Volkswagen enjoyed particularly strong growth in June driven by the Chinese market, where deliveries ran at 236,700 units, representing a strong 19.2 percent increase compared with the prior year.

The Volkswagen brand delivered 1.39 million vehicles in China in the first half of 2016, a new all-time sales record on this, the most important individual market.