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February 19, 2003
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This Week:

• New Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG Makes Debut in Chicago

• Toyota Stages World Premiere of All-New Tundra 'Big Rig' Double Cab Pickup at 2003 Chicago Auto Show

• Avanti Responds to GM Lawsuit Over Studebaker XUV

• Hyundai and Kia Celebrate the Grand Opening of a New $30 Million California-Based Design Center

• 2003 Volkswagen GTI 20th Anniversary Edition Revs Up for Chicago Debut

• GM, Ford Officially Sign Agreement To Develop All-New Front-Wheel-Drive Transmission

• The Volkswagen Group in Asia-Pacific

• 2004 Acura 3.5 RL Debuts at Chicago Auto Show

• American Suzuki Introduces Two New Cars, Mid-Size Verona and Premium Compact Forenza at Chicago Auto Show

• All-New Ford Freestar Minivan To Be Produced At Oakville Assembly Plant

• Global Engine Alliance Selects Michigan for New Production Facility in the U.S.

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The Volkswagen Group in Asia-Pacific

• New sales record: 620,000 vehicle shipments mean sales figures are up by around 34.6 percent against 2002

• 513,000 sales in China make this the second largest single market in the world

• Target for China: 1 million vehicles in 2007

• Five new models for China in 2003

Shanghai Volkswagen last year increased its delivery output by 32.3 percent to 302,000 (228,000 in 2001), with all the models in the range manufactured in Shanghai (including the Santana, the Passat and the Polo introduced last year) contributing to this success.

Sales by FAW Volkswagen, Changchun, were up by 62.3 percent to a record 208,000 vehicles (128,000 in 2001), with each of the models produced there (Jetta, Bora and Audi A6) able to markedly increase its output.

China's new membership in the WTO last year served to generate the anticipated stimulus for economic growth, most notably for consumer demand by private households. Volkswagen will systematically continue to run its strategy of introducing at least one new model made in China each year.

This year alone, the Group will launch five new models on the Chinese market - the Volkswagen Gol, the notchback Polo, the Touran, the Golf and the Audi A4. SVW will be responsible for manufacturing the Gol, notchback Polo and Touran, while FAW Volkswagen produces the Golf and the Audi A4.

Volkswagen is expecting continued high rates of growth on China's automobile market. Its goal for this year is to sell 600,000 vehicles in China, with an annual sales target of one million automobiles by 2007.

Japan

For the fifth year running, the Volkswagen Group has managed to further strengthen its position as the number-one seller of imported vehicles in Japan. Despite an economic environment wrought with difficulties, the Group has increased its vehicles sales in this country by 3.3 percent to total 72,000 units (69,000 in 2001), thus bringing its market share in the segment for imported vehicles up from 27.3 percent in 2001 to 28.0 percent last year.

Volkswagen has set its aim on maintaining its position as market leader within this segment. The Group will again expand its product range in Japan this year, with planned launches for 2003 including the New Beetle convertible, the Touareg and the Audi A8. In a move to further consolidate its position, the Group intends to extend operations by its two independent dealership organisations for Audi and Volkswagen to key locations.

Southeast Asia and the Pacific region

The Southeast Asia and Pacific region includes all the countries of Asia-Pacific with the exception of China and Japan. The paramount markets in this region are Australia, Taiwan, New Zealand, Thailand and Korea. In 2002, for the fifth consecutive year, Volkswagen once more achieved record sales in the region, raising the number of automobile shipments by 10.7 percent to a total of 37,000 (34,000 in 2001).

Volkswagen's goal for these markets is to introduce new products such as the Phaeton, the Touareg, the New Beetle convertible, the Audi A8, the Audi A4 convertible and the Audi A3 and thus to consolidate its position in Southeast Asia and the Pacific as a whole and to achieve significant growth in sales.

(Feb 13, 2003)