VW: A 19% Dec. freeze; Audi extends streak

Volkswagen's U.S. sales fell 19 percent in December to 30,281 as its new crossover lineup again failed to offset a collapse in venerable small sedan and hatchback volume.

Audi extended its industry-best streak of year-over-year monthly sales increases to 98 months, with deliveries rising 16 percent to 26,977 on the strength of its A5 sedan and the Q5 and Q7 crossovers. For the year, VW sales rose 5.2 percent to 339,676 while Audi sales climbed 7.8 percent to 226,511.

Notable nameplates: Audi Q5 up 18%; Audi A5 up 401%; Audi Q7 up 48%; VW Passat down 58%; VW Golf family down 50%; VW Jetta down 45%; VW Atlas (new), 6.070 sales; VW Tiguan (redesigned), 5,770 sales.

U.S. market share: 3.8% in Dec. 2017, even with Dec. 2016; 3.6% for all of 2017, up from from 3.4% in 2016.

Incentives (including Porsche): $3,808 per vehicle, down 16% from a year earlier, according to ALG.

Average transaction price (including Porsche): $35,310, up 5.1% from a year earlier, ALG says.

Quote: Audi of America President Scott Keogh on the brand's 26,977 sales in December: "It used to take us a year to sell that many cars. Now we're doing that in a month."

Did you know? In 2011, just 18 of Audi's 276 U.S. dealerships sold 1,000 or more vehicles. Last year, 60 of Audi's 302 U.S. dealerships sold 1,000 or more vehicles.