Volkswagen reports 5.5% sales boost in first half

Volkswagen, Europe's biggest car maker, said today it was satisfied with business in the first six months of the current year, when unit sales rose by by 5.5%.

'Vehicle deliveries grew to 4.7 million in the first half of 2013 from 4.45 million in the year-earlier period,' VW said in a statement.

In June alone, the group sold a total 827,800 vehicles worldwide, 3.7% more than a year earlier.

'Volkswagen deliveries made satisfactory progress even though market conditions were not always easy. However, the economic climate remains tense, especially in Europe,' said sales chief Christian Klingler said.

'We remain on course and are entering the second half of the year with confidence. Nevertheless, the enormous challenges persist,' he said.

First-half sales of the VW brand alone were up 4.4% at 2.91 million, with strongest growth seen in China.

The high-end brand Audi saw unit sales grow by 6.4% to 780,500 units, also with 'significant growth' seen in China.

The group said it sold a total 81,600 of its Porsche luxury sports cars in the January-June period.

By contrast, sales of its Skoda brand fell by 5.8%, but SEAT sales were up 11.5% in the six-month period.

In the commercial vehicles division, unit sales edged up by 0.2% over the first half of the year, VW said.