VW sees increase in 2008 sales

BERLIN — German automaker Volkswagen AG said Sunday it set a new record in yearly sales in 2008 of 6.23 million vehicles.

Sales were up 0.6 percent over the 6.19 million vehicles sold in 2007, the Wolfsburg-based company said in a statement released in Germany and at the Detroit auto show.

Most automakers have reported sales slipping amid the global economic slump.

"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," board chairman Martin Winterkorn said.

Germany, China and Brazil were the largest single markets for the Volkswagen group, which includes the brands Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, SEAT, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini and Volkswagen commercial vehicles.

Germany saw an increase of 0.4 percent over 2007 to 1.06 million vehicles, sales in China increased 12.5 percent to 1.02 million vehicles, while Brazil's sales increased 8.9 percent to 633,300.

In what the company called "one of the toughest years for a long time" in the United States, Volkswagen sold 314,500 vehicles, down 4.5 percent from 2007.

The overall sales figures do not include sales at Swedish truck-maker Scania AB, in which Volkswagen holds a majority interest, the company said.

On Friday, Volkswagen shares closed down 5.02 percent at euro283.84 ($388.41) in Frankfurt.

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