VW sales rise in August worldwide

The 2016 Passat will offer more aggressive styling, a more premium interior and a host of newly-available driver assistance devices, according to VW.
The 2016 Passat will offer more aggressive styling, a more premium interior and a host of newly-available driver assistance devices, according to VW.

The Volkswagen Group delivered 759,400 vehicles in August, an increase of 6.3 percent from a year ago even as sales were off in North America, the company reported today.

About 6.66 million vehicles were handed over to customers worldwide from January to August, representing a rise of 1.8 percent compared with the previous year, reported the German automaker with a production plant in Chattanooga that readying to start assembling a new midsize sport utility vehicle.

"All group brands turned in a solid delivery performance in August and for the first eight months. Our models performed particularly well in Asia-Pacific and Europe," said Fred Kappler, head of group sales. "Nevertheless, our task now is to strengthen and expand this trust, particularly in the North America region."

The Volkswagen Group delivered 84,400 vehicles, down 1.1 percent, in the North America region in August.

The company is completing a $900 million plant expansion in Chattanooga, with plans to start SUV production in December and kick off sales early in 2017.

In Asia, deliveries in August increased by 14.9 percent compared with the previous year, running at 347,000 vehicles, of which 323,600 were handed over to customers in China, representing a rise of 19.7 percent, the company said.

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