Volkswagen Korea aims to sell over 20,000 cars next year

Volkswagen Korea, the local importer of Germany’s Volkswagen Group, said Tuesday that it will seek to sell more than 20,000 vehicles in the South Korean market next year by strengthening its best-selling car lineup.

“We set our 2013 sales target at 23,000 units with 35 percent growth from this year. Next year will be our second take-off for joining the 20,000 vehicle club,” said Volkswagen Korea in a statement.

Volkswagen Korea sold 16,613 units through November this year, up nearly 42 percent on-year, and is expected to reach a total of 17,000 units in sales by the end of 2012. It first posted more than 10,000 units in sales in 2010 and stayed above the 10,000 level for three straight years.

In the booming South Korean foreign-made car market, only BMW Korea posted more than 20,000 units in sales last year, with 23,293 vehicles sold, and sold 26,916 units in the January-November period.

Volkswagen Korea’s November sales soared 143.3 percent on-year to 2,022 units, surpassing the monthly sales of 2,000 units for the first time since the local unit was founded in 2005.

Volkswagen’s best-selling Golf hatchback led the recent expansion in sales in Korea, with 5,611 units sold over the first 11 months of the year, after BMW’s 520d with 7,277.

“We will release the seventh-generation Golf in South Korea next year to maintain its popular run,” the company said. “The new Golf has been improved in many areas, including its interior and exterior design, the powertrain and the platform.”

The Polo mini hatchback will be first introduced in South Korea in mid 2013 in order to broaden its hatchback portfolio, Volkswagen Korea added.

The company said it will strengthen the supply of its steady-selling models like the Golf, the Passat, the CC and the Tiguan in order to meet growing demand among South Korean customers.

Volkswagen Korea said it will also expand its local sales and service network, opening two new showrooms and four service centers nationwide in the first half of next year. It currently has nine dealerships, 21 showrooms and 21 service centers in South Korea. (Yonhap News)