China, N. America Boost Sales for VW

Volkswagen AG sold 4.36 million VW-brand passenger cars in the first nine months of 2014 compared with 4.21 million in the same period last year. September sales rose 7% to 526,300 units worldwide.

The year-to-date improvement was due entirely to growth in China (+18% to 1.79 million units) and North America (+2% to 466,000).

VW's sales in the January-September period fell 6% to 1.23 million units in Europe. Volume was flat in central and eastern Europe but shrank 8% to 410,300 units in Germany and 6% to 616,400 elsewhere in western Europe. Sales in Russia dropped 5% to 117,200 units.

Volume also slumped during the nine-month period by 13% to 542,500 units in South America, led by a 16% decline to 45,900 units in Brazil. Sales in India fell 10% at 45,900 units, according to the company.