With an increase of one thousand vehicles, which arrived in the last quarter, it was possible for VW to grow its sales in Portugal. The dealer network also grew 6.6%, above the industry average
Volkswagen’s sales in Portugal reached, in 2022, 8,500 units, which represented a growth of 13% compared to the volume of the previous year, doubling what was the average growth of car companies in the country.
This growth becomes more relevant within the universe of the worldwide group, which announced that it had sold around 7% fewer vehicles last year, dropping to 4.5 million units.
Marília Machado dos Santos, general director of the brand in Portugal, revealed to FORBES that this growth in the national market was very positive, and it was possible, despite the constraints felt in the supply chain, through an oxygen balloon of about a thousand vehicles, who came to satisfy customers who were on the waiting list.
This growth was achieved mainly in the last three months of the year. “The T-Roc was the best-selling model and represented around 17% of total sales in our country”, says Marília Machado dos Santos, general director of VW Portugal.
“Our best-selling model is manufactured in Portugal, at Autoeuropa, and we managed to have some synergies here, and also with some products manufactured in Spain and thus have access to additional vehicles that allowed us to win back customers that we were not able to satisfy”, he says. the director general. T-Roc was the best-selling model of 2022, and accounted for around 17% of the brand’s total sales in our country.
The brand’s dealer network also grew by 6.6%, an increase above the sector average, and the expectation is that this network will continue to grow in a sustained manner.
Volkswagen no plans for agency model
With regard to the new car distribution models, namely the agency model (brands sell directly and transform dealerships into an agency), Marília Machado dos Santos reveals that this is not foreseen within the Volkswagen Group, and that there are even builders who are returning behind in your agency model ads.
“Right now there is no move by all builders in this direction, not least because it requires an adaptation process. For now, we rely on the traditional model, with a network of dealerships that we want to make sustainable”, he says. He also explains that 2023 will be a very important year for the brand, “with the launch of two new products from the ID family, the new ID.3 and the New ID.7, two pillars of growth”.
The range of electric vehicles has been the main driver of growth for the Volkswagen group, which in 2022 will sell 23% more vehicles worldwide than in the previous year.
Questioned about whether there are plans for the brand to launch a reconditioned car factory, as Renault has already advanced, and SEAT has also announced soon, the general director claims that nothing has been presented in this regard yet.