Volkswagen commercial vehicles has increased worldwide deliveries in the first quarter of 2006 by 10.9 per cent compared to the first quarter of the previous year to 99,000 vehicles (2005: 89,300).

“It has been the best first quarter for deliveries since the Volkswagen commercial vehicles brand was launched,” Harald Schomburg, member of the brand board of management, said.

Worldwide all model ranges from European production lines registered further increases, the Caddy, the Transporter, the Multivan and the LT.

Deliveries of the Caddy increased by 7.5 per cent to 27,300 vehicles (2005: 25,400); deliveries of the Transporter and Multivan series increased by 11.5 per cent to 42,700 vehicles (2005: 38,300) and deliveries of the LT series increased by 17.7 per cent to 9,300 vehicles (2005: 7,900).

In Europe, delivery of all model series increased by 9.5 per cent to 62,300 vehicles (56,900 last year) In Germany, 26,900 light commercial vehicles, MPVs and leisure vehicles were sold by Volkswagen commercial vehicles (23,000 last year) – an increase of 17.0 per cent. Furthermore Volkswagen commercial vehicles began deliveries of the first vehicles of the new Crafter model series in Germany.

The Brazilian subsidiary of Volkswagen commercial vehicles; Volkswagen trucks and buses was able to maintain the delivery volume in spite of unfavourable conditions in Brazil, the principal market.

Worldwide the company delivered 8,700 heavy trucks and bus chassis. In comparison to the same period of the previous year; this was an increase of 4.3 per cent (2005: 8,300). Volkswagen trucks and buses confirmed its market leadership in the Brazilian truck sector in the first quarter of 2006 with a share of 31.0 per cent.