Volkswagen sells 10.8 mi in 2018, mira 1st place among automakers

Berlin (Reuters)-Volkswagen's sales rose by 0,9% last year, to a record 10,830,000 vehicles, reported on Friday the German automaker, placing side by side of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi in the contest for the position of greater manufacturer of automobiles in the world. The rivals Toyota Motor and Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi has not yet released the sales numbers of 2018, but the franco-Japanese Alliance sold 10.6 million vehicles in 2017 and reached 5,540,000 sales in the first half of 2018.No last month, Toyota released a projection for total global sales of 10,550,000 in 2018, but still need to confirm the number. " If we consider that the 10.8 million units sold by Volkswagen reported are confirmed, it is very likely that is enough to put the Volkswagen Group in the first place, "said David Oakley, LMC Automotive Analyst. If the number is confirmed, will mark the fifth consecutive year in which Volkswagen holds the lead in automotive, Oakley said, adding that it was too early to tell whether Toyota or Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi will be in second place, also because Licensing numbers haven't been released for all markets. Volkswagen data include sales of light vehicles and trucks. Whereas just vehicles, sales last year reached 10.1 million units, according to the company. " If we look at cars only, the scenario would be virtually similar. Volkswagen would still be in front, but with a wider margin, since it is relatively less dependent on light commercial vehicles than the other two (automakers), "said Oakley. Only about 4% of Volkswagen's sales were of light commercial, compared to 12 15% in the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi and Toyota, according to the CML. Volkswagen reported that the VW brand delivered 6,240,000 vehicles, while the premium brands Audi and Porsche recorded sales of 1,810,000 and 256,000 units, respectively. This makes it the third largest carmaker Audi between manufacturing luxury cars, behind only the BMW, which delivered 2,125,026 vehicles, and Mercedes-Benz leader, who sold 2,310,000 units. Volkswagen reported that the current trade dispute between the United States and China has undertaken the business environment in the Chinese market, in your world, in the second half of 2018. The Sales Director of Volkswagen, Christian Dahlheim, said on Friday that he hoped to follow demand stable in China in 2019, while the first quarter should be challenging. Separately, said the German automaker Dahlheim does not provide a significant financial impact in 2019 as a result of the implementation of the new standard emission WLTP, which cost the company 1 billion euros in 2018 only in December, Volkswagen reported that the sales fell to 8,4% units, compared with 916,200 999,900 in the same period a year before.