German auto giant Volkswagen said Thursday that it had raised it 2007 sales target to 900,000 vehicles in China and Hong Kong after 30-per-cent growth in the first nine months of this year, reported dpa. Sales through Volkswagen and its Shanghai Volkswagen and FAW-Volkswagen joint ventures increased to 684,786 vehicles in China and Hong Kong from January to September, compared with 525,941 vehicles in the same period of 2006. The unexpectedly high sales growth, adding to momentum from last year, had allowed the group to raise its sales target from 700,000 units to 900,000 for the full year, Volkswagen said. "Volkswagen in China is ahead of its restructuring plan and in best condition for the challenges in the worldwide most competitive market," Volkswagen chairman Martin Winterkorn said in a statement. Sales of Volkswagen-brand vehicles reached 594,270 in the first three quarters, up 27.9 per cent, and sales of Audi cars rose 25.9 per cent to hit 76,168. Winfried Vahland, the head of Volkswagen's China operations, told the German business magazine Wirtschaftswoche last month that the firm was considering China as one possible production site for its new Golf model due out next year. Thursday's report followed a rise of 24.3 per cent in Volkswagen sales to 711,298 units in China and Hong Kong last year, rebounding from a slump of 11.7 per cent in 2005. The company's market share for personal cars in China was 22.8 per cent last year.
