Alain Favey, ŠKODA AUTO Board Member for Sales and Marketing, explains: “Against the background of the anticipated challenges in key growth markets, our global market share remained stable in the first quarter. This promising start to the year is proof that our attractive model range has been well received worldwide. We are particularly proud of our new ŠKODA SCALA compact model, which will be launched in the first markets this month.”
In Western Europe, ŠKODA increased its deliveries in March by 4.4% to 55,700 vehicles (March 2018: 53,400 vehicles). In the first three months of the year, the company increased its deliveries to customers in this region to a total of 137,900 vehicles – growth of 5.8% over the same period of the previous year (January to March 2018: 130,300). In March, Germany remained the brand’s second largest individual market with 17,700 deliveries to customers. Despite an overall decline in the market, ŠKODA grew by 3.6% compared to the previous year (March 2018: 17,100 vehicles). In the first quarter of the year, ŠKODA increased its deliveries in Germany by 7.5% year-on-year to 48,000 vehicles (first quarter of 2018: 44,600 vehicles). From January to March, the manufacturer recorded double-digit growth in France (8,400 vehicles, +12.4%), Switzerland (6,100 vehicles, +40.8%), the Netherlands (5,200 vehicles, +16.7%), Denmark (4,800 vehicles, +38.8%) and Portugal (400 vehicles, +12.4%).
In Central Europe, ŠKODA delivered 18,500 vehicles to customers in March (March 2018: 19,800 vehicles, -6.6%). In the first quarter of this year, the car manufacturer delivered a total of 52,300 vehicles to customers (January to March 2018: 56,900 vehicles, -8.1%). The overall car market is also declining in this region. In March, ŠKODA delivered 8,000 vehicles on the Czech domestic market. (March 2018: 8,500 vehicles, -5.7%). In the first three months of the year, the manufacturer achieved 22,000 deliveries (first quarter of 2018: 25,400 vehicles, -13.4%). Contrary to the trend, ŠKODA posted double-digit growth in Slovenia where the car manufacturer delivered 2,300 vehicles to customers between January and March (first quarter of 2018: 2,000 vehicles, +14.0%).
In Eastern Europe excluding Russia, ŠKODA recorded 4,500 deliveries in March (March 2018: 3,900 vehicles, +14.4%). With 11,000 deliveries in the first quarter of the year, ŠKODA achieved an increase of 12.5% compared to the same period last year (January to March 2018: 9,800 vehicles). ŠKODA posted double-digit growth in Serbia (1,900 vehicles, +22.6%), Ukraine (1,600 vehicles, +45.9%), Bulgaria (1,100 vehicles, +21.5%) and Kazakhstan (200 vehicles, +164.2%).
In Russia, ŠKODA significantly increased its deliveries in March compared to the same period last year, achieving an increase of 7.3% with 7,000 vehicles delivered (March 2018: 6,500 vehicles). In the first quarter of the year, the car manufacturer delivered 18,400 vehicles and achieved an increase of 9.1% compared to the same period last year (first quarter of 2018: 16,900 vehicles).
In March, ŠKODA delivered 20,500 vehicles in China, its largest single market (March 2018: 28,100 vehicles, -27.0%). In the first quarter, the manufacturer recorded a total of 64,300 deliveries to customers (January to March 2018: 79,200 vehicles, -18.8%).
In India, ŠKODA AUTO delivered 1,500 vehicles in March, a decrease of 3.0% compared to the same period of the previous year (March 2018: 1,500 vehicles). In the first quarter of the year, the Czech carmaker recorded a slight decline of 7.8% compared to the same period last year, with 3,900 deliveries (first quarter of 2018: 4,200 vehicles).
ŠKODA AUTO deliveries in the first quarter of 2019 (in units, rounded off, listed by model; +/- in percent compared to February 2018):
ŠKODA OCTAVIA (92,500; -12.5 %)
ŠKODA FABIA (49,100; -10.1 %)
ŠKODA RAPID (42,300; -13.8 %)
ŠKODA KAROQ (35,800; 109.0 %)
ŠKODA KODIAQ (35,700; -6.1 %)
ŠKODA SUPERB (28,200; -24.8 %)
ŠKODA KAMIQ (only sold in China: 12,300; -)
ŠKODA CITIGO (only sold in Europe: 11,300; +15.5 %)
ŠKODA AUTO deliveries in March 2019 (in units, rounded off, listed by model; +/- in percent compared to March 2018):
ŠKODA OCTAVIA (34,100; -10.8 %)
ŠKODA FABIA (20,500; -3.9 %)
ŠKODA RAPID (13,500; -25.8 %)
ŠKODA KAROQ (13,700; +59.3 %)
ŠKODA KODIAQ (13,100; -8.2 %)
ŠKODA SUPERB (10,600; -23.4 %)
ŠKODA KAMIQ (only sold in China: 3,300; –)
ŠKODA CITIGO (only sold in Europe: 5,000; +20.4 %)