Volkswagen Middle East records 21 percent growth in 2011

2011 was a successful year for Volkswagen in the Middle East, recording a 21 percent growth in sales (2010-2011) placing the German manufacturer among the fastest growing brands in the automotive industry in the region.

2011 has been a successful year for Volkswagen Middle East, with the highlight being the launch of the All-New Jetta. With over 9.6 million Jetta sold worldwide the All-New Jetta, launched in May 2011, has been very well received by customers throughout the region, achieving a 100 percent volume increase on the previous Jetta model available in the region.

“I am proud to announce the excellent sales growth Volkswagen Middle East and its regional partners has achieved throughout 2011,”commented Stefan Mecha, managing director Volkswagen Middle East. “Volkswagen means “the people’s car” and thanks to our fresh, innovative and tailor made models and products we now have a portfolio to suit everybody. 2011 saw the launch of the All-New Jetta which has been very successful since its launch in May. Other models including the Golf R and Tiguan were also added to our range and have greatly contributed to our 21 percent growth in the region.”

2011 also saw the announcement of the first Volkswagen Taxi fleet in Qatar which is in collaboration with Mowasalat – the Qatar Transport Company. Volkswagen Middle East supplied 300 All-New Jetta Taxis to Karwa Taxi Services. Fleet business continues to grow for Volkswagen in the region, with sales increasing by 20 percent in 2011.

Volkswagen had a successful 2011 achieving a 13.1 percent global increase in sales, with Volkswagen Passenger Cars delivering 5.1 million vehicles to customers –the highest number of units sold in history.

For the Middle East, three models that continue to perform well in the region are the All-New Jetta, the Touareg with a 71 percent increase in 2011 and the Golf with a 27 percent sales increase for the year.

“We look forward to increasing the momentum of success achieved in 2011, and with the Passat and New Polo Sedan joining our ever expanding product portfolio, I anticipate a very prosperous year for Volkswagen Middle East while strengthening our competitive position in the Middle East automotive industry,” concluded Mecha.