Volkswagen AG posts China sales gain for Jan-Sept

TIANJIN - Volkswagen AG posted 10.7 percent growth in sales in the China market for the first three quarters of this year, sources with the company said Monday.

The German carmaker's China branch and its two joint ventures in China sold 2.85 million vehicles to buyers in the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong, including 131,500 imported vehicles, maintaining the automaker's leading position in the China passenger car market.

Jochem Heizmann, head of the Volkswagen Group's China business, said the company would expand its product range, especially SUVs and new energy vehicles, to meet growing customer demand.

Volkswagen's four models -- Lavida, Jetta, Sagitar and Santana are among the top selling models in China, while Audi is rated as one of the most popular brands in China's premium segment, the company said.

China's auto sector has rebounded this year. After the government slashed sales tax on small engine vehicles, demand for SUVs increased and freight transport recovered.

In September, 2.56 million cars were sold on the Chinese market, registering the highest growth since 2013, or 26.1 percent year on year, according to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers.