Czech car producer Skoda Auto said on July 15 that first-half car sales rose by 17.9% from the equivalent figure last year to 366,686 units. The manufacturer, part of the Volkswagen Group, highlighted a significant 40.1% rise in East European sales to 63,684 cars.
Russia was the most dynamic market in the region with sales soaring 83.7% to 23,950 cars and Ukrainian sales climbing 51.2% to 15,964 units.
Other fast growing markets were China, where 31,566 cars were sold in the first six months of the year following the launch of local sales in mid-2007, and India, where first half sales rose 61.6% to 9,556.
West European sales climbed 2.1% to 177,101 units with Skoda the second strongest importer in Germany.
The biggest selling model was the mid-range Skoda Octavia with a 27.1% rise in sales to 186,487 units.
Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2008
