Volkswagen Group Sales Data, Trends & Analysis for the Chinese Automotive Market
The Volkswagen Group, often abbreviated as VW Group, is one of the world’s largest automotive conglomerates, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany. The group owns several well-known car, motorcycle, and commercial vehicle brands. Over the years, the Volkswagen Group has strategically acquired various companies, expanding its portfolio and global reach. Brands that sit under the Volkswagen Group umbrella include Volkswagen, Audi, SEAT, Skoda, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini and Porsche.
Volkswagen Group Chinese Sales Figures & Recent Highlights
The Volkswagen Group’s presence in China dates back to the early 1980s, making it one of the earliest Western automakers to establish operations in the country. Over the years, China has become a crucial market for the VW Group. It established a joint venture with Shanghai Automobile Industry Corporation (SAIC Motor). Volkswagen was the first foreign automaker to produce cars in China, and it has since become the largest foreign automaker in the country.
Volkswagen entered the Chinese market through joint ventures, a common approach for foreign automakers due to China’s regulations. The first of these was a partnership with SAIC Motor to form Shanghai Volkswagen in 1984. Another joint venture was established with FAW Group in 1991, known as FAW-Volkswagen. These partnerships allowed Volkswagen to produce cars locally and gain a significant early foothold in the Chinese market. Audi has been immensely successful in China and was one of the first premium brands to establish a strong presence there. It became the vehicle of choice for Chinese government officials and businessmen, cementing its status-symbol reputation. Audi operates in China primarily through the FAW-Volkswagen joint venture. Entered the Chinese market in 2007 and, like Volkswagen, operates through joint ventures to produce vehicles tailored to the Chinese market.
China’s automotive market is the largest in the world, and its importance to global automakers, including the Volkswagen Group, cannot be overstated. Given the Chinese government’s aggressive push towards electrification, Volkswagen has been investing heavily in EV technology and infrastructure in the country. They aim to capture a significant share of the burgeoning EV market in China.
Volkswagen Group has performed well in the Chinese market in recent years, although its market share has declined slightly in recent years due to increasing competition from local automakers. In 2022, Volkswagen Group sold over 3.2 million cars in China, accounting for over 15% of the total Chinese car market.
Volkswagen Group Annual Sales, Growth & Market Share in China
Below we have a table that shows total Volkswagen Group sales volumes for the Chinese automotive market, broken out by year. This data captures all Volkswagen Group sales for the entire Chinese automotive market, including sub-brands.
| Year | Sales | YOY Change | Marketshare | Marketshare Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | 274,312 | 0.00 | 48.46 | 0.00 |
| 1998 | 295,085 | 7.57 | 50.74 | 4.49 |
| 1999 | 313,148 | 6.12 | 45.75 | -10.92 |
| 2000 | 331,529 | 5.87 | 44.29 | -3.30 |
| 2001 | 359,252 | 8.36 | 43.28 | -2.31 |
| 2002 | 470,585 | 30.99 | 41.68 | -3.84 |
| 2003 | 675,273 | 43.50 | 30.14 | -38.29 |
| 2004 | 624,265 | -7.55 | 24.81 | -21.50 |
| 2005 | 577,241 | -7.53 | 18.19 | -36.35 |
| 2006 | 697,887 | 20.90 | 17.28 | -5.30 |
| 2007 | 949,200 | 36.01 | 18.76 | 7.87 |
| 2008 | 955,308 | 0.64 | 18.19 | -3.08 |
| 2009 | 1,388,235 | 45.32 | 17.65 | -3.09 |
| 2010 | 1,811,583 | 30.50 | 17.57 | -0.47 |
| 2011 | 2,100,981 | 15.97 | 18.84 | 6.75 |
| 2012 | 2,481,520 | 18.11 | 20.87 | 9.72 |
| 2013 | 2,895,782 | 16.69 | 20.20 | -3.33 |
| 2014 | 3,225,536 | 11.39 | 19.91 | -1.43 |
| 2015 | 3,192,556 | -1.02 | 17.25 | -15.45 |
| 2016 | 3,566,816 | 11.72 | 16.24 | -6.20 |
| 2017 | 3,740,528 | 4.87 | 16.30 | 0.37 |
| 2018 | 3,846,806 | 2.84 | 17.40 | 6.30 |
| 2019 | 3,948,311 | 2.64 | 19.54 | 10.98 |
| 2020 | 3,347,749 | -15.21 | 17.92 | -9.05 |
| 2021 | 3,003,840 | -10.27 | 14.86 | -20.58 |
| 2022 | 3,068,834 | 2.16 | 14.84 | -0.14 |
Volkswagen Group China Annual Sales Units & Growth Chart
Below is a visual representation of Volkswagen Group’s Chinese sales units over time. We have both the Volkswagen Group sales units and the growth in the Chinese market. Click on the items in the legend to see each series by itself.
Volkswagen Group China Growth Rate & Market Share Chart
Below is the annual growth rate for the Volkswagen Group in China, shown against the Volkswagen Group’s marketshare changes in China. This gives you a good look into how the Volkswagen Group has faired against the other brands in terms of absolute sales and effect on marketshare. Click on the items in the legend to see each series by itself.
