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Volkswagen sees Jan-Apr car sales up 28% in China

210508, Beijing. The German carmaker benefited from January' introduction of Santana Vista, a new version of China's bestselling vehicle, which helped it win customers from larger rival General Motors Corp.

It has embarked on boosting capacity in China to cater to rising demand as well as to help achieve its target sales of 10 million globally by 2018. Its venture with SAIC Motor Corp, took over a former Fiat SpA plant in Nanjing last month, promoting its annual manufacturing capacity from the end-2007's 900,000 units to 960,000 units.

However, its Chengdu, Sichuan province-based plant, jointly operated with China FAW Group Corp, suspended production due to last week's devastating earthquake that hit most of the southwest province. The plant is capable of producing 24,000 cars per year.

Volkswagen sold 910,491 vehicles in China last year, up 28% over 2006, accounting for nearly 15% of its global sales. It aims to sell one million cars this year in the country that surpassed Germany in the first quarter as its biggest market. The company's market share in China is expected to hit 19% in 2008, up from the current 18%.

Source: China Knowledge.