Skoda's global April sales hit by switch to new OctaviaMay 16, 2013 16:10 CET  Skoda said today that its global sales fell 4.6 percent to 77,600 in April due to a switch to a new Octavia compact model and continued weak demand in some European markets.... Read More »
VW brand bears brunt of Europe slump as Q1 profit halvesApril 29, 2013 11:49 CET  First-quarter profit at Volkswagen Group's core brand almost halved as automakers in Europe battle the region's protracted slump in demand with deeper discounts.... Read More »
Skoda aims to double sales in China by 2018April 25, 2013 15:42 CET  Skoda aims to double its sales in China to 500,000 vehicles within five years as part of a push to raise annual global deliveries to at least 1.5 million cars by 2018, up from a record 939,200 vehicles in 2012.... Read More »
SHANGHAI AUTO SHOW PREVIEW A bevy of crossovers and SUVs will take center stage at China's auto extravaganza 12:01 am U.S. ET | April 15, 2013  Automakers will test China's huge appetite for crossovers and SUVs with introductions this week at the Shanghai auto show. Acura, BMW, Citroen, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen plan world debuts for compact crossovers, while Jeep -- which arguably started the SUV craze -- will roll out its new Cherokee.... Read More »
Skoda says March deliveries fell 12%April 11, 2013 10:31 CET  Skoda said its worldwide car deliveries dropped by 12 percent in March due to a switch to a new model and weak European markets... Read More »
PRODUCTION Weak car output hits Czech economyApril 8, 2013 11:46 CET Czech industrial production edged up in February but thinning order books show the central European country may not yet be coming out of its longest recession in two decades. The main problem has been falling car production.... Read More »
RETAIL SALES/NEW PRODUCT Skoda sees new models helping to offset Europe slumpMarch 20, 2013 14:34 CET  Skoda is confident that deliveries this year will rise as the introduction of new or updated models, including a new large SUV, the Octavia compact and the Rapid Spaceback compact hatchback, offsets a drop in European demand.... Read More »
Skoda bets on bigger Octavia wagonMarch 13, 2013 06:01 CET  Skoda has made its Octavia station wagon larger and roomier to fend off a growing number of competitors in the compact wagon segment.... Read More »
Land Rover, Kia, Audi were Europe 2012 winnersFeb. 15, 2013 06:01 CET  European sales declined for the fifth consecutive year in 2012, falling 8 percent to 12.6 million. But not everyone suffered. Kia, Hyundai, Audi, Land Rover and Jeep bucked the downward trend because of fresh models in hot segments.... Read More »
Chevrolet looks to GAZ to help it keep Russia lead 9:00 am U.S. ET | Feb. 5, 2013  General Motors is hoping its production alliance with Russia's GAZ Group will help Chevrolet remain the country's top-selling foreign brand. GAZ started making the Aveo sedan on Tuesday and will begin assembling the hatchback variant in late March with a goal of producing 30,000 units of the subcompacts this year.... Read More »
Chevrolet looks to GAZ to help it keep Russia leadFeb. 5, 2013 15:00 CET  GM is hoping its production alliance with Russia's GAZ Group will help Chevrolet remain the country's top-selling foreign brand. GAZ started making the Aveo sedan today and will begin assembling the hatchback variant in late March with a goal of producing 30,000 units of the subcompacts this year.... Read More »
Skoda sets new high for vehicle sales in 2012Jan. 11, 2013 12:01 CET  Skoda raised unit sales by 7 percent last year to a record 939,200 cars, Volkswagen's Czech unit said on Friday.... Read More »
Skoda wants new Octavia to win both compact and mid-sized car buyersJan. 8, 2013 06:01 CET  Skoda will unveil its new Octavia at the Geneva auto show in March. The car will be larger than the current model to widen the gap from the brand's new Rapid compact, which went on sale in Europe in October.... Read More »
Germans, Koreans get boost from good times in eastern EuropeOct. 17, 2012 06:01 CET  VW's success in Slovakia and Mercedes' strong start in Hungary illustrate a divide among the continent's carmakers. Those that cut costs last decade in western Europe or those that were never saddled with expensive factories there, such as Hyundai and Kia, are winning today. Between them, VW Group, Mercedes, Kia and Hyundai have raised their share of the European market to 35.5 percent in the eight months to end August 2012, from 30 percent in the same period of 2010.... Read More »
Skoda starts production of Rapid at Czech factoryAug. 29, 2012 10:49 CET  Skoda has started production of its new Rapid car for European markets in the Czech Republic. The Rapid will debut at next month's Paris auto show and will go on sale in Europe in October.... Read More »
VW to build engine plant in Russia to tap growing local demandAug. 28, 2012 15:49 CET  VW plans to add engine production in Russia to expand manufacturing in the country's growing car market. VW will spend 250 million euros at its car assembly plant in Kaluga to be able to make 600 engines a day starting in 2015.... Read More »
Skoda July deliveries rise 6%Aug. 23, 2012 11:04 CET  Skoda said its deliveries in July rose 6 percent to 72,600 cars from a year ago. Skoda has been one of the fewer mass-market automakers to grow in Europe during the current slump. Skoda has bucked the downward trend because it is in the middle of its biggest model offensive ever.... Read More »
VW's European dominance overpowers rivalsAug. 21, 2012 06:01 CET  Volkswagen Group has become so dominant in Europe that rivals are being left behind.... Read More »
Prolific VW platform is key in race to be global No. 1Aug. 21, 2012 06:01 CET  VW is set to reap massive savings from its new MQB platform, which will save the automaker billions of euros in costs by the end of the decade and cut production times by a third.... Read More »
VW gains share in France with deals PSA, Renault can't matchJuly 22, 2012 06:01 CET  VW has been able to borrow at cheaper interest rates than many of its rivals. That advantage has translated into better deals for French consumers. French buyers pay as little as 1.9 percent annual interest on 10,000 euros in financing from Volkswagen, the company says. From Peugeot, the same loan would cost around 11.6 percent annually, according to the automaker's Web site. Renault says it charges 5.9 percent.... Read More »
Czech car production up but slowingJuly 17, 2012 06:01 CET Car production in the Czech Republic rose in the first six months of the year but at a slower pace than in 2011 as demand for cars in Europe fell, the Association of Automotive Industry said Monday. Production of cars and light utility vehicles rose by 4.8 percent year on year to 662,529 in the first half, the association said, after rising by 11.4 percent for the whole of 2011.... Read More »
Skoda sales rose 7.5% in June but carmaker sees tougher second halfJuly 12, 2012 15:11 CET  Skoda deliveries rose 7.5 percent last month to 87,400, boosted by strong demand from Germany and China. Despite the rise, the automaker said it still saw a more difficult second half to the year.... Read More »
Skoda sales rose 4% in May on Russia, China gainsJune 13, 2012 09:49 CET  Skoda's deliveries in May rose 4 percent to 81,500 vehicles because of strong demand from Russia and China. Through five months, the Volkswagen Group subsidiary's deliveries rose 9 percent to a record 405,500, topping its previous all-time high for the period of 373,400 set last year.... Read More »
BMW, others gain from closer ties with bloggersJune 12, 2012 07:04 CET  BMW, Mercedes and other luxury brands are boosting efforts to court bloggers to target a growing audience of would-be buyers who can't be reached through TV and newspaper ads. BMW claimed an 88 million-euro ($110 million) revenue gain for its 1-series line by wooing customers with a Web-only campaign.... Read More »
Winners and losers in VW's management overhaulJune 4, 2012 14:57 CET  Volkswagen's overhaul of senior management aims at improving the group's performance in three key areas: China, Audi and heavy trucks. The reshuffle creates a management board position dedicated solely to China and replaces three board members at Audi, the premium brand that drives the group's profitability.... Read More »
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