GERMAN automaker Volkswagen set a sales record in 2008 and expanded its market share in key markets the United States and Germany despite a global economic crisis. And the company is aiming for another banner year in 2009, said executives at the North American International Auto Show, where VW unveiled its first two-seater roadster with much glitz and fanfare. "We have kept our promise,'' said chair Martin Winterkorn. "The Volkswagen Group delivered more vehicles than ever before in the difficult year of 2008. "With growing shares on the world market and major single markets, including Germany and the USA, we expanded our position further. "This shows that our group's multi-brand strategy is paying off and our young and attractive model range is popular with customers all over the world.''
GERMAN automaker Volkswagen set a sales record in 2008 and expanded its market share in key markets the United States and Germany despite a global economic crisis.
And the company is aiming for another banner year in 2009, said executives at the North American International Auto Show, where VW unveiled its first two-seater roadster with much glitz and fanfare.
"We have kept our promise,'' said chair Martin Winterkorn. "The Volkswagen Group delivered more vehicles than ever before in the difficult year of 2008.
"With growing shares on the world market and major single markets, including Germany and the USA, we expanded our position further.
"This shows that our group's multi-brand strategy is paying off and our young and attractive model range is popular with customers all over the world.''
Carmaker Daimler's miniature Smart car has had success in the difficult US market, with more models sold there than any other country apart from Germany and Italy. Roger Penske, the head of the Penske Group, a Detroit-based dealership chain that has partnered with German auto company Daimler to distribute Smart cars, said the figures were surprising considering sales "didn't really get started until February (2008)." Daimler said it had expected to sell around 16,000 units of the French-made two-seater, but that this figure was bettered by more than 8,000 additional vehicle sales. The new Smart even seems to have defied current auto sales trends in the US, which have been in freefall since the credit crunch took hold. There is a six-month waiting list for the Smart. [...] Penske said that 55 percent of prospects who placed a $99 Internet deposit to reserve a Smart car had eventually gone through with purchasing one of the vehicles.
Roger Penske, the head of the Penske Group, a Detroit-based dealership chain that has partnered with German auto company Daimler to distribute Smart cars, said the figures were surprising considering sales "didn't really get started until February (2008)."
Daimler said it had expected to sell around 16,000 units of the French-made two-seater, but that this figure was bettered by more than 8,000 additional vehicle sales.
The new Smart even seems to have defied current auto sales trends in the US, which have been in freefall since the credit crunch took hold. There is a six-month waiting list for the Smart.
[...]
Penske said that 55 percent of prospects who placed a $99 Internet deposit to reserve a Smart car had eventually gone through with purchasing one of the vehicles.
