Turkish auto output down 11% in February

Turkey’s vehicle production fell 11 percent year-on-year in February to 83,140 vehicles, the Automotive Manufacturers’ Association (OSD) said today.

In the first two months of the year, output was also down 11 percent to 158,182 vehicles, the association said.

Last year, automotive production rose 5 percent to 1.13 million units.

Fiat Chrysler, Renault, Ford, Toyota and Hyundai are among the automakers with vehicle assembly plants in the country.

Skoda increases car sales 5% in February

Volkswagen’s Czech unit Skoda increased global sales by 5 percent in February to 70,200 vehicles, boosted by strong European sales supported heavily by the latest Octavia model.

Sales in Europe grew by 16 percent, while the number of Octavia compacts sold in western and central Europe jumped by a third, Skoda said on Wednesday.

Skoda said the rise in deliveries last month represented the sixth consecutive month of growth at the carmaker.

Skoda has said it is on the “right track” to reach its target of selling 1 million cars globally for the first time in 2014.

VW brand sales rise 2% in February on Europe rebound

Volkswagen Group increased global sales last month at its core VW passenger-car brand by 2 percent to 407,600, boosted by a revival in European sales and high demand for Golf and SUV models.

The figure compares with 401,400 in February last year.

“Even though the situation in some markets was at times difficult, the Volkswagen passenger-cars brand continued to develop well….there was high demand in particular for the Up, Golf and Golf wagon as well as the Touran and Tiguan,” VW sales chief Christian Klingler said ina statementon Tuesday.

In the first two months, VW brand sales rose 3 percent to 923,100.

Sales of the brand in Europe grew by 6 percent through February to 245,200. In western Europe, excluding Germany, deliveries rose 8 percent in the same period to 124,800, with sales in VW’s home market rising 5 percent to 80,600.

Sales in China rose by 12 percent to 437,700 vehicles, while deliveries in the United States fell 16 percent to 50,600 in the first two months.