Volkswagen group sales rise to record level on Audi demand

Volkswagen, Europe’s largest carmaker, sold 5.8% more vehicles in the first quarter, marking a delivery record for the period as the Audi luxury brand attracted buyers.

Sales rose to 2.4m vehicles from 2.27m a year ago, Volkswagen said yesterday in a statement. Deliveries in March climbed 7.6% to 929,500 cars.

“All in all, we are very satisfied with the way deliveries developed in the first three months,” Christian Klingler, VW’s sales chief, said. “There are signs of a return to modest growth on the markets in western Europe” after a six-year slump.