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In July, the Volkswagen brand delivered 489,000 vehicles to customers throughout the world, 3.3 percent fewer than the same month last year. From January to July, Volkswagen handed over 3.49 million vehicles, down 3.8 percent on the previous year. In a generally declining global market, Volkswagen succeeded in maintaining a stable market share both in July and for the year to date. As expected following the record values of July 2018, Volkswagen in Europe once again delivered fewer vehicles (-8.8 percent) in July 2019. In China, Volkswagen delivered 2.0 percent more vehicles in a shrinking overall market and further expanded its market share. In Brazil, Volkswagen recorded a marked increase in deliveries of 13.5 percent.

Volkswagen breathes fresh air into the SUV segment with the world premiere of the new T-Roc Cabriolet. The open-top version expands the range of the popular crossover model, adding yet more lifestyle to the booming SUV market. The new T-Roc Cabriolet sees its official presentation at the Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA) from 12 to 22 September. The launch will take place in spring 2020.

The electric record on the iconic Nordschleife with a remarkably low amount of energy: Exactly two months ago, Volkswagen achieved an electromobility milestone with the ID.R. The fully-electric ID.R raced through the 20.8-kilometre “Green Hell” in a time of just 6:05.336 minutes and at an average speed of 204.96 km/h – and all whilst using just 24.7 kWh of energy. This meant the ID.R was not only significantly faster than a GT3 sports car, but also consumed only a quarter of the energy over the course of one lap. The ID.R is the sporty forerunner and prototype for the ID.R family, with which Volkswagen will bring E-mobility to the streets for everyone from 2020. Technology used successfully during the record attempts with the ID.R will be incorporated in production vehicles.

The Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand was able to increase its sales revenue and operating profit in the first six months of the year despite a slight fall in deliveries. Driven by the improved product mix, the sales revenue of the Volkswagen brand grew by 3.4 percent to €44.1 billion. Operating profit before special items after six months was 7.4 percent higher than in the first half of 2018, at €2.3 billion. The operating return on sales increased to 5.2 percent. In the second quarter, there were no further special items resulting from litigation risks, after about €400 million had been booked in the first quarter. “In a difficult market environment, the Volkswagen brand developed very satisfactorily in the first half of the year. We were able to record improvements in operating profit and return on sales compared with the very good figures for the first half of 2018. The operating profit was supported by factors including the continuing product offensive, the optimization of fixed costs and progress with the turnaround in the regions. We intend to use this positive momentum to secure our return on sales targets. We will further strengthen our competitive position through targeted investments in e-mobility and digitalization,” says Board Member for Finance Dr. Arno Antlitz.

Their names alone are enough to send shivers down the spine of any automobile fan: The legendary hill climb on Pikes Peak, the famous Nürburgring-Nordschleife, and the iconic Goodwood Festival of Speed. The fully-electric Volkswagen ID.R holds spectacular records at each of these prestigious motorsport venues. But that’s not all. The sports car will take on its next record attempt in September: The ID.R will set a target time on Tianmen Mountain in China. The goal for this extraordinary outing in the Far East is to set a milestone for electric cars and, in doing so, to support Volkswagen’s e-strategy in China, which is really picking up speed this year. By 2035, Volkswagen intends to increase the percentage of e-cars within its annual deliveries in China to 50 percent.

First-class, superior and sophisticated – Volkswagen celebrates the production of one million Touaregs with the special “ONE Million” model. The anniversary model now joins the flagship’s model range and has an impressive range of exclusive equipment.

Volkswagen has added two more chapters to the ID.R’s success story: the lap record for electric powered vehicles on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife was followed by the absolute track record at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. This once again impressively demonstrated the performance capabilities of electro technology. But the ID.R is more than a record holder – it is the racing spearhead to the ID. family of fully electric powered production vehicles, which will appear on the market from 2020. In an interview, Dr. Frank Welsch, Chief Development Officer of Volkswagen Passenger Cars, speaks about the significance of the records for the brand’s electro-mobility offensive.

The Volkswagen brand completed June with higher deliveries. Throughout the world, 542,300 vehicles were handed over to customers, 1.6 percent more than the same month last year. in predominantly shrinking overall markets, Volkswagen succeeded in maintaining stable market shares or further expanding them. As expected, Volkswagen once again delivered fewer vehicles in Europe following the record values of June 2018. The strong rise of 14.2 percent in China is a one-off effect resulting from regulatory changes in the overall market. With increases in deliveries by the brand of 9.6 percent and 13.0 percent respectively, the USA and Brazil were the strongest individual markets in June. In its home market of Germany, Volkswagen recorded a slight rise in deliveries (+1.0 percent).

The first electric race car to beat Formula 1: The Volkswagen ID.R has made motorsport history again by setting a new all-time record at the ‘Goodwood Festival of Speed’. Romain Dumas completed the 1.86-kilometre track in the south of England in just 39.90 seconds. In doing so, the 500-kW (680-PS) electric race car broke the previous record, which had stood for 20 years, by 1.7 seconds. He also took victory in the Sunday Shootout. The previous record at the famous hillclimb was set in 1999 by Nick Heidfeld in a 574-KW (780-PS) McLaren-Mercedes MP4/13 with a combustion engine.

The ID. BUGGY made its first big appearance at the "Chantilly Arts & Elegance, Richard Mille" after its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show. Together with an haute couture creation by the Belgian fashion designer Ann Demeulemeester, it ventured onto the catwalk and bagged the audience award at the Concours d'Elegance. Volkswagen chief designer Klaus Bischoff, who took part in the parade, is thrilled: "It is a sensational achievement for our design team that international automotive enthusiasts chose the ID. BUGGY at such a top-class event. It shows that our vision of e-mobility has struck a chord."