BMW, VW sales up more than 13% in 2010

German automakers Volkswagen AG and BMW AG both said Monday that their global sales rose by more than 13 per cent last year led by strong demand from China and elsewhere in Asia.

Volkswagen's group deliveries totalled 7.14 million in 2010 - a new record - up from 6.29 million a year earlier, the company said.

It didn't give a specific forecast for this year, but board member Christian Klingler said the 2010 figures showed Volkswagen is "forging ahead with our international growth".

The group, which includes brands such as Audi, Skoda and Seat, reported an even stronger rise in December. Sales last month totalled 545,000 cars - up 22.8 per cent over December 2009.

Worldwide sales of BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce cars totalled 1.46 million last year, up from nearly 1.29 million in 2009. The group sold 141,358 cars in December, 14.2 per cent more than a year earlier.

BMW board member Ian Robertson said he expects sales to exceed 1.5 million in 2011 - "setting new record highs".

"While we closely watch some ongoing economic uncertainties throughout the world, we are certain to continue benefiting from our young model line-up," Robertson said in a statement.

Volkswagen's full-year sales in China rose 37.4 per cent to 1.92 million. It saw a huge increase in demand in India, where sales soared 181 per cent to 53,500, and deliveries across the Asia-Pacific region rose by 38.5 per cent to 2.14 million.

The company's US deliveries rose 20.9 per cent to 360,300.

In its German home market, Volkswagen - like other mass-market manufacturers - suffered from comparison with 2009, when a popular government car-scrapping bonus programme boosted sales.

Deliveries in Germany were down 16.8 per cent at 1.04 million cars, but sales elsewhere in western Europe were up 11.6 per cent at 1.85 million.

BMW said its group sales in 2010 increased in "virtually all markets".

In China, it said it benefited from strong demand for its high-end models. For the full year, sales there were up 86.7 per cent to 168,998.

Yearlong sales in the US were 9.9 per cent higher at 265,757 cars.

BMW sales in Germany rose 3.1 per cent at 266,009 for the year as luxury carmakers' sales were relatively unaffected by the car-scrapping bonus.

The core BMW brand sold more than 1.22 million cars worldwide in 2010, a 14.6 per cent increase over the previous year.

Mini sales rose 8.1 per cent to 234,175 and the luxury Rolls-Royce brand notched its highest sales figures since BMW took over the automaker seven years ago, selling 2,711 cars, a 171 per cent increase.

- AP