VW Group Sales Fell 3% in May

Volkswagen Group reports its global sales in May declined to 858,000 vehicles from 880,900 a year earlier.

Deliveries through the first five months of 2015 grew by 10,000 units to 4.20 million. A 3% decline in VW brand sales in the period was offset by increases for the group's Audi, Porsche and SEAT and Skoda passenger vehicles.

Group sales in Europe rose 3% to 1.73 million vehicles in January-May, led by a 7% jump to 512,400 units in Germany. Sales climbed 6% to 936,200 vehicles in western Europe and fell 12% to 250,700 units in central and eastern Europe.

Overall volume in North America expanded nearly 6% to 370,900 units, including a 2% gain to 237,900 in the U.S. in the first five months. In Asia Pacific, demand slipped 1% to 1.65 million as sales in China dropped to 1.49 million from 1.51 million.

Year-on-year results by brand for January-May:

• VW passenger cars declined 3% to 2.48 million units
• Audi sales rose 4% to 744,900
• Skoda sales climbed 5% to 449,700
• SEAT's volume expanded 9% to 176,400
• VW Commercial Vehicles advanced 3% to 184,400
• MAN brand truck deliveries dropped 15% to 39,600
• Scania commercial truck sales declined 2% to 30,200