Landmark: one million KODAs made in China

9.7.2013 | category: KODA celebrates production success together with Shanghai Volkswagen KODA doubles model range in China from three to six models new Rapid Xin Rui, KODA Yeti and Superb Combi expand KODAs portfolio Sales in China to rise to half a million per year Mlad Boleslav/Shanghai, 9 July 2013 Shanghai Volkswagen plant had today produced its one millionth KODA car since 2007, a white 1.6 l KODA Rapid. In the years ahead, KODA intends to grow further in its strongest sales market, expanding its model range produced in the country from a current three to then six models by mid-2014. Making one million cars in China within just six years is evidence of our brands impressive growth, says KODA CEO Winfried Vahland. Working closely and trustfully with its partner Shanghai Volkswagen, SVW for short, KODA has written an unparalleled success story in China since mid-2007. We are definitely going for more growth in China, reinforcing our model offensive and expanding our capacities. We intend to raise our sales in China to half a million cars per year, says Vahland. In 2012, China accounted for about a quarter of KODAs worldwide sales of 939,200. Since the beginning of its activities in China, KODA has relied on cooperation with Shanghai Volkswagen. SVW is a dependable and competent partner with whom we will continue to write KODAs success story in China in the years to come, says Vahland. Forming the basis for KODAs growth plans in China is an expansion of the brands model range available in the country. This year alone, this range will be growing from three to six models. Currently, KODA sells the Fabia, Octavia and the Superb saloon in China, which are now being complemented by three new models: the KODA Rapid Xin Rui, the KODA Yeti and the KODA Superb Combi. A keystone of the brands growth in China is the new KODA Rapid for China. This notchback saloon, sold as the KODA Rapid Xin Rui, belongs to a vehicle category that is especially popular in China. KODA has tailored the Chinese Rapid to the needs of Chinese customers, adding chrome elements and offering a total of nine option packages. The Rapid is the perfect car for China, says Werner Eichhorn, KODA board member for sales and marketing. The car impresses with lots of space, an expressive design, an optimum price/value ratio, high functionality, comprehensive safety equipment and efficient engines. Also fuelling growth in China will be the KODA Superb Combi and the KODA Yeti, which have been available in the country as imports since April. The KODA Superb Combi is KODAs first offering of an upper-middle class estate car. The KODA Yeti is KODAs entry into Chinas rapidly growing compact-SUV segment and will be made locally.

In the first six months of 2013, KODA sold about 120,200 cars in China, continuing the brands six-year success story in the country. The start of production of the KODA Octavia June 2007 marked the beginning of one of the most impressive developments in recent automobile history, as KODA went on to grow its annual sales to customers in China more than eightfold to around 236,000 most recently.