SALES OF SKODA CARS UP BY 6,8 % IN 2016

MLADA BOLESLAV (Autofox) - Czech carmaker Skoda Auto delivered 91,500 vehicles to customers (+5.7%) in December 2016, the company said. It was the 13th month of growth in a row and the best December in the company’s history.

In Western Europe, Skoda supplied 32,600 vehicles (+4.8%), in Eastern Europe, 2,800 vehicles (+3.3%), and 29,900 cars (+3.5%) in China.

In December, the company sold 36,600 Octavia cars (+3.1%), 18,200 Rapid vehicles (+20.7%), 14,600 Fabia cars (-1.9%), 12,400 Superb cars (+32.6%), 6,200 Yeti cars (-27.3%), 3,300 Citigo cars (+6.9%).

Sales of Skoda cars in 2016 increased by 6.8% to a record 1,127,700 units. “With our young and modern variety of models we managed to further increase the attractiveness of our brand in the past year. We are doing even better in inspire new customer groups through emotional design, the latest automotive technology and a range of practical solutions for Skoda cars,” said Skoda Auto BOD Chairman Bernhard Maier.

In Western Europe in 2016, Skoda grew by 5.7% to 455,200 vehicles. At its second largest market - Germany - the automaker increased deliveries by 4.1% to 165,200 cars and strengthened its position as the strongest foreign brand. The brand reached a double-digit growth in Italy (20,500 units, +24%), Ireland (9,500 vehicles, +20.5%), France (24,200 vehicles, +12.7%) and Finland (11,100 vehicles, +10.5%).

In Central Europe, deliveries to customers rose by 6.8% to 183,800 vehicles. Sales in the domestic Czech market rose by 3.5% to 88,000 vehicles, the company mentioned. The brand reached a double-digit sales growth in Croatia (3,500 vehicles, +12.7%), Poland (56,200 vehicles, +12.3%) and Slovenia (6,300 units, +10.8%).

In Eastern Europe in 2016, Skoda grew by 7.2% to 35,100 vehicles. The brand recorded a double-digit pace in Ukraine (3,600 vehicles, +57.2%), Bosnia and Herzegovina (1,400 vehicles, +23.2%), Romania (10,300 vehicles, +14.4%) and the Baltics (6,500 cars +10.6%).

Skoda delivered 55,400 cars (+0.7%) to its customers in Russia. Sales at the largest market brand in China rose by 12.6% to 317,100 vehicles. Skoda also developed well in Turkey (28,900 units, +30%) and Israel (20,400 units, +14.9%).

In 2016, dealers sold 436,300 Octavia cars (+0.9%), 212,800 Rapid cars (+9.5%), 202,800 Fabia cars (+5.4%), 139,100 Superb cars (+73.4%), 95,600 Yeti cars (-4%), 40,700 Citigo cars (+1.4%).

In 2017, the carmaker will launch 11 new models. These are to include the following models (and derived versions): Kodiaq (Scout, SportLine, RS), Octavia facelift (Scout, RS), Citigo facelift, Rapid facelift, second-generation Yeti. “Especially since the launch of the revised Skoda Octavia and the new Skoda Kodiaq SUV, we expect positive impulses for the brand in the first half of the year,” added Maier.

Skoda Auto BOD Member for Sales and Marketing Werner Eichhorn mentioned that more than 75% of the nearly 3,200 Skoda dealers rebuilt their dealerships according to the new corporate design.