VW to Defend Global Sales Crown Amid $21 Billion Diesel Hit

Demand in China continued to fuel VW’s global deliveries
Russia, Brazil sales start to rebound from economic downturns

The wheel of a Volkswagen AG (VW) 2019 Jetta vehicle is seen during the 2018 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., on Monday, Jan. 15, 2018. After auto executives spent years trying to convince the world they can beat Silicon Valley to electric cars and autonomous driving, they are finally getting a chance to crow once again about what they do best: trucks. Each of the hometown brands will pull the cover off of a new flatbed, while at least three of the luxury brands roll out new SUVs.Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg

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By Christoph Rauwald

January 17, 2018 at 7:00 AM UTC

Updated on

January 17, 2018 at 8:08 AM UTC

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Volkswagen AG’s global deliveries rose to a fresh record last year as robust customer demand helped the German manufacturer weather the financial fallout from its diesel-emissions crisis and -- most likely -- stay ahead of Japanese rival Toyota Motor Corp.

Worldwide sales of the group’s cars, trucks and buses jumped 4.3 percent to 10.7 million vehicles in 2017, VW said Wednesday in an emailed statement.