SKODA AUTO: Growth Course Continued Successfully in April 2012

Mladá Boleslav,– Skoda Auto sustained a high pace in deliveries to customers in April as it did in the previous months. Worldwide, the brand’s deliveries figures rose 4.1 percent to almost 81,400 in April 2012. This is Skoda’s best result ever in April and its third best result overall after March 2012 and March 2011. In the first four months of 2012, ŠKODA AUTO’s almost 324,100 deliveries to customers translate into a plus of 9.8 per cent. This is also a new record as against the previous high in the same period of last year when around 295,300 units were sold. Czech car maker Skoda Auto celebrated another successful month worldwide in April 2012 selling 81,400 cars, up 4.1 per cent against the previous April record set in 2011 when 78,200 units were delivered.

Škoda Auto achieved strong sales growth in Eastern Europe as well as in India. The brand was also successful in Central Europe. In the first four months of 2012, Škoda Auto made almost 324,100 deliveries to customers worldwide, up 9.8 per centyear on year. This also broke the existing record set from January through April 2011 when 295.300 units were sold. Skoda Auto again achieved year on year growth in deliveries in April 2012 and posted the best April result of all time,” says Jürgen Stackmann, Škoda board member in charge of sales and marketing. “We expect the debut of the SKODA Citigo to provide a further boost to our business, and this despite conditions that have become significantly more difficult, especially in some Western European markets.”

In the competitive and in part strongly declining markets of Western Europe, overall industry sales were down by 7.4 per cent, according to preliminary figures. Almost all Western European markets, with the exception of Germany and Great Britain, posted a decline. By contrast, Skoda deliveries were down by only 5.3 per cent during this period. The brand delivered almost 30,400 cars to customers in Western Europe (April 2011: 32,100). In some individual markets of Western Europe, Skoda Auto even posted significant gains as the brand’s deliveries rose in Great Britain for instance (plus 25.2 per cent), Austria (plus 15.3 per cent), in Switzerland (plus 13.5 per cent), in Norway (plus 6.1 per cent), France (plus 4.8 per cent) and in Germany (plus 3.1 per cent). In April, the Skoda Octavia and the Škoda Fabia were Skoda’s most popular models in Western Europe. The brand achieved the highest growth rates in Western Europe with the Skoda Roomster and Yeti model lines, clocking up plus 27.7 per cent and plus nine per cent respectively.

At 28.1 per cent ŠKODA AUTO achieved particularly strong growth in Eastern Europe, with deliveries to customers there rising to almost 12,300 units in April 2012 (April 2011: 9,600). In Russia alone, the brand sold over 8,800 cars in April 2012 (April 2011: 5,900), amounting to growth of 48 per cent year on year. On the Russian market, the Octavia confirmed its place as ŠKODA’s most popular model in April 2012, achieving almost 4,500 deliveries to customers(April 2011: 3,400) for a plus of 32 per cent. Sales of the Skoda Yeti compact SUV shot up 137 per cent to almost 1.500 units. The ŠKODA Roomster roared ahead by almost 95 per cent to 150 units, while the Skoda Superb was up 125 per cent to more than 500 units. Skoda Auto also posted growth as deliveries in Ukraine were up 14.3 per cent to almost 1,400.

In Eastern Central Europe Skoda Auto further increased its deliveries in April. Sales rose 7.7 per cent to almost 11,600 units (April 2011: 10,700). In the Czech Republic, the brand’s home market, deliveries to customers were up 11.7 per cent to around 5,500 in April 2012 (April 2011: 4,900). The Slovak market saw Skoda grow by 17.9 per cent to over 1,500 cars delivered in April. The Skoda Octavia retained its crown as Eastern Central Europe’s most popular model (5,100 units, a plus of 4.1 per cent). The Skoda Superb (900 units; up 8.3 per cent) was another advancer, as was the Skoda Yeti (900 units; up 8.9 per cent).

In April 2012, ŠKODA AUTO achieved further successes in China as deliveries to customers rose 1.1 per cent to almost 20,400 (April 2011: 20,100). China is the brand’s strongest market worldwide. In April 2012 Chinese customers especially liked the ŠKODA Octavia (12,800 units; up 7.6 per cent) ant the Skoda Fabia (4,100, up 6.9 per cent).

In India,Skoda deliveries to customers jumped 36.8 per cent to more than 3,000 cars in April 2012 (April 2011: 2,200). The Skoda Rapid compact saloon, which went on sale in India in late 2011, is proving very popular: Skoda Rapid sales alone accounted for almost 1,900 units in April 2012. Skoda Auto also advanced in other markets in April 2012, e. g. selling much more than 400 cars in Egypt for a plus 3.1per cent.

Skoda brand worldwide deliveries to customers in April 2012 (by models, in units; +/- in per cent year on year):


Skoda Octavia (36,600; +2.5 %)

Skoda Fabia (22,000; -5.0 %)

Skoda Superb (9,600; -10.0 %)

Skoda Yeti (7,600; +31.1 %)

Skoda Roomster (3,300; +16.3 %)

Skoda Rapid (sold in India only: 1,900; new model)

Skoda Citigo (400; new model)