Azernews.Az

By Bloomberg

Volkswagen AG’s Skoda expects to sell over 1 million vehicles this year, the highest in the Czech unit’s 119-year history on surging sales in China and stable business in Europe.

This year’s deliveries through November rose to 955,300 cars, 16,100 units more than in the entire record year of 2012, the Mlada Boleslav, Czech Republic-based Skoda Auto AS said in a statement on its website today.

Skoda has pursued the 1 million-units sales target as it emerged as the most profitable mass-market car brand for its Wolfsburg, Germany-based parent company. The carmaker, the largest exporter in the Czech Republic, plans to add a new SUV to expand its current lineup.

“Following the positive results in November, the milestone of one million vehicles produced and sold in one calendar year is certain,” Skoda Chief Executive Officer Winfried Vahland said in the statement. “It’s a milestone for our brand.”

In November, deliveries increased 10 percent from a year ago, particularly due to a 47 percent jump in China, which has been at the center of the company’s growth strategy.