Volkswagen of America, Inc. (VWoA) today reported sales of 32,548 units delivered in March 2018, an increase of 17.8 percent over March 2017. With 83,952 units delivered year-to-date in 2018, the company is reporting a 10 percent increase in year-over-year sales.
March 2018 was the best month to date for the all-new 2018 Tiguan, with 8,276 units sold. The Chattanooga-built Atlas totaled 6,063 units sold. Overall, first quarter sales reflected the impact of Volkswagen’s move to offer a more family-friendly lineup, with SUVs accounting for more than 50 percent of total volume for the Volkswagen brand in year-over-year sales. Through the first quarter of 2017, SUVs made up only 14.4 percent of total sales for the brand.
The all-new 2019 Jetta is expected to arrive at U.S. Volkswagen dealers in the second quarter of 2018. The Jetta is one of the world’s most successful sedans, with more than 17 million models sold worldwide, including more than 3.2 million of those vehicles in the U.S. The 2019 Jetta offers bolder design, more interior space and new technology. Later this year, Volkswagen will introduce the all-new Arteon sedan as the brand’s halo vehicle.
For the 2018 model year, most new Volkswagen vehicles in the U.S. will come with the People First Warranty, a six-year or 72,000-mile (whichever occurs first) bumper-to-bumper New Vehicle Limited Warranty, which can be transferred to subsequent owners throughout its duration.
Additionally in March, Volkswagen of America announced that it will be building a new five-passenger SUV at its Chattanooga factory. Based off Volkswagen’s award-winning MQB (or modular transverse matrix) platform, the new Volkswagen SUV will be a variant of the seven-passenger Atlas and, like its sibling, will be designed and engineered for the American market. The Atlas Cross Sport concept, which previews the vehicle, was unveiled at the New York International Auto Show: production is expected to begin in late 2019.