Skoda auto continues growth in July

ŠKODA AUTO continued to grow in July 2012. Despite an increasingly challenging economic environment, the brand increased its deliveries to customers by six per cent year-on-year to 72,600 (July 2011: 68,500). This is the best July sales result in the company’s 117-year history. From January through July 2012, sales rose by a total of 8.1 per cent year-on-year to 565,600 (January through July 2011: 523,200). “We managed to continue growing and sell more cars in July despite an economic environment that is increasingly very difficult,” said Jürgen Stackmann, ŠKODA board member for sales and marketing. “We have improved ŠKODA’s position further in the first seven months of this year. However, development of demand in many European markets concerns us. What we now need to do is stay our course,” said Stackmann. Despite a difficult overall market, the brand advanced significantly in major markets of Western Europe: in the UK in July 2012, ŠKODA delivered more than 20 per cent more cars year-on-year. In Denmark, too, (+24.7 per cent), Belgium (+8.2 per cent), Norway (+6.6 per cent) and France (+6.2 per cent), ŠKODA grew notably. In Western Europe overall, SKODA sold almost 25,300 cars in July 2012 (-7.1 per cent). ŠKODA’s most popular models in Western Europe in July were the ŠKODA Octavia, which sold over 8,500, and the ŠKODA Fabia, which sold more than 6,600 units. The Citigo subcompact, which has been on the market for several months, also fared well and sold almost 2,600 in July. In Eastern Europe, ŠKODA again scored significant increases in July (11,400 units; +26.8 per cent). In Russia, the brand performed extraordinarily well in July, as it has been throughout the first half of the year. Sales rose 42 per cent to a total of 8,700 (July 2011: 6,100). ŠKODA’s market share in Russia rose significantly over the first seven months of 2012, reaching around 3.5 per cent. Yet again, ŠKODA’s bestselling model in Eastern European markets was the ŠKODA Octavia, posting a sales increase of 19.2 per cent to almost 5,900. Sales of the ŠKODA Yeti almost doubled (+93.7 per cent). The ŠKODA Superb (+32.1 per cent) and the ŠKODA Fabia (+22.2 per cent) also found great favour with Eastern European customers. In Eastern Central Europe, ŠKODA bucked a declining trend in the overall market and made an excellent showing in July (9,600 units; +2.9 per cent). The brand’s market share at the end of the first seven months of 2012 was up to almost 18.8 per cent. In its home market of the Czech Republic, ŠKODA sold 4,500 cars in July, up 2.9 per cent year on year (July 2011: 4,400). In Croatia (+21.4 per cent) and Hungary (+19.2 per cent), the brand posted strong double-digit growth, and in Slovakia, it advanced 8.8 per cent. Looking at individual models, the ŠKODA Octavia was the most popular in Eastern Central Europe, selling more than 4,500 in July. The ŠKODA Roomster posted the largest gain at plus 57.6 per cent, followed by the ŠKODA Yeti, up 37.3 per cent. The ŠKODA Citigo also sold well, with 800 units going to customers in Eastern Central Europe in July alone. ŠKODA continued growing in the Chinese market. Deliveries to customers rose 6.6 per cent in July 2012 to over 19,000 (July 2011: 17,800). This confirmed China’s status as the brand’s strongest individual market. Yet again, it was the ŠKODA Octavia that proved especially popular with customers in China, selling 11,500 cars, up 15.7 per cent when compared against July 2011 (10,000). The ŠKODA Superb sold 3,600, the ŠKODA Fabia 3,900. In India, ŠKODA further strengthened its position in July 2012. A growth of 22.6 per cent to more than 2,800 cars means the brand yet again outgrew the overall market (+13.5 per cent), with the new compact saloon, the ŠKODA Rapid, continuing its success story in the market, around 1,800 going to Indian customers in July. This means that in July, this compact saloon, which is especially popular with families, accounted for two thirds of the brand’s sales. The Indian Rapid was voted family car of the year a few months ago. The car has been successfully on sale in India as an Indian variant since late 2011. ŠKODA’s sales also advanced significantly in other markets in July: in Turkey (+80.6 per cent), in Australia (+43.9 per cent), and in Israel (+41.9 per cent). ŠKODA deliveries to customers in July 2012 (by models; in units, rounded; +/- in per cent year on year): ŠKODA Octavia (32,800; +7.3 %) ŠKODA Fabia (16,900; -19.3 %) ŠKODA Superb (8,300; -6.3 %) ŠKODA Yeti (6,500; +23.8 %) ŠKODA Roomster (2,900; +1.7 %) ŠKODA Rapid (sold in India only: 1,800; new model) ŠKODA Citigo (sold in Europe only: 3,400; new model) From motor