BERLIN - Strong sales in Eastern Europe helped Volkswagen AG post a 6.5 per cent increase in September sales over the same month last year, despite difficulties caused by the European financial crisis.
Volkswagen said Friday it sold 801,000 vehicles in September, against 751,900 in September 2011. Overall sales through September were up 9.7 per cent on the same period the previous year to 6.71 million.
The number includes Porsche for the first time, which became a Volkswagen brand in August. Porsche has sold 22,800 vehicles since then.
Group sales in Europe were up 0.8 per cent in the first nine months, as a 6 per cent drop in western Europe excluding Germany was offset by a 3 per cent increase in the home market, and a 23.1 per cent increase in central and eastern Europe, including Russia.
