ŠKODA set a new sales record in 2014. For the first time in its 119-year company history, the brand sold more than 1 million vehicles. ŠKODA’s worldwide deliveries increased by 12.7 per cent to 1,037,200 vehicles last year (2013: 920,800 deliveries). The global market share improved to 1.4 per cent (2013: 1.3 per cent). In December alone, global ŠKODA sales increased by 16.9 per cent to 81,900 units (December 2013: 70,000). This was the best December ever in the company’s history. In 2015, the car maker intends to grow further with new models.
“ŠKODA made good ground in a challenging 2014 environment and has successfully continued to grow,” says ŠKODA CEO Prof. Dr. h.c. Winfried Vahland. “By setting a new sales record and delivering more than 1 million vehicles for the first time, the brand has established itself in the ‘Champions League’ of international high-volume manufacturers. The impact of the biggest model campaign in our company history is getting stronger and stronger. Since 2010, we have redesigned almost the entire model portfolio and expanded into new segments. With our new models, we are increasingly winning over new customer groups. And we won’t take our foot off the accelerator in the coming years,” says Vahland.
In 2014, the comprehensive model campaign which was started four years ago was once again the priority for the Czech manufacturer. “The acceptance of our models and of the brand is higher than ever before. We were able to increase our market share in almost every region,” says Werner Eichhorn, ŠKODA Board Member for Sales and Marketing. Back in March, the pioneering study ‘ŠKODA VisionC’ was the first rocket of last year’s ŠKODA product fireworks. The Octavia G-TEC, Octavia Scout, three special Monte Carlo editions for the Citigo as well as Yeti and Rapid Spaceback followed over the course of 2014. The new ŠKODA Fabia provided the year’s grand finale in November.
The Czech model campaign will not slow down in 2015. From mid-January, the new ŠKODA Fabia Combi will arrive at the first dealerships. The new ŠKODA Superb will celebrate its world premiere in February in Prague and will then be showcased at the Geneva Motor Show in early March. The market launch of the Superb is planned for mid-2015. This new model marks the beginning of a new era for the Czech car manufacturer and is the pinnacle of ŠKODA’s model campaign so far.
In Western Europe, ŠKODA developed better than the market in 2014 and increased deliveries by 11.8 per cent to 413,200. The market share improved to 3.4 per cent (2013: 3.2 per cent). In December, the brand delivered 28,800 vehicles to customers in Western Europe (December 2013: 31,300). In Germany, the worldwide second strongest market for the manufacturer, ŠKODA increased deliveries by 9.6 per cent to 149,500 in 2014 (2013: 136,400), further improving on its position as the strongest foreign brand there. Great Britain saw growth of 15.1 per cent – 76,000 units are a new ŠKODA sales record on the British Isles. The brand also achieved double-digit growth in the Netherlands (18,600 vehicles; plus 36.6 per cent), Belgium (17,800 vehicles; plus 15.0 per cent), Spain (17,800 vehicles; plus 32.5 per cent), Italy (14,200; plus 17.3 per cent), Sweden (13,600 vehicles; plus 10.5 per cent), Ireland (6,300 vehicles; plus 27.5 per cent) and Portugal (2,400 vehicles; plus 32.7 per cent).
In Eastern Europe including Russia, ŠKODA delivered a total of 119,200 vehicles to customers in 2014 (2013: 125,400). The brand’s market share improved to 4.3 per cent from 3.9 per cent in 2013. In December, ŠKODA achieved 8,300 deliveries in Eastern Europe (December 2013: 12,300). In Russia, ŠKODA delivered 84,400 units in 2014 (2013: 87,500) and market share increased to 3.7 per cent (2013: 3.4 per cent). ŠKODA saw double-digit growth in Romania (7,300 vehicles; plus 32.6 per cent), in Serbia (5,200 vehicles; plus 24.2 per cent), in Bulgaria (2,100 vehicles; plus 20.4 per cent) and in the Baltic states (5,400 vehicles; plus 16.2 per cent).
ŠKODA performed strongly in Central Europe in 2014. The brand grew by 18.5 per cent to 149,900 deliveries (2013: 126,500). ŠKODA’s market share improved to 19.9 per cent (2013: 19.1 per cent) and sales in their home market, the Czech Republic, increased by 16.9 per cent to 70,200 units (2013: 60,000). Double-digit sales increases were also achieved in Poland (46,700 vehicles; plus 20.5 per cent), Slovakia (16,400 vehicles; plus 10.6 per cent), Hungary (8,200 vehicles; plus 12.7 per cent), Slovenia (5,000 vehicles; plus 38.1 per cent) und Croatia (3,400 vehicles; plus 71.9 per cent).
ŠKODA grew at a fast pace in China, its biggest single market worldwide. In 2014 the deliveries of the brand increased by 24.0 per cent to the new record figure of 281,400 vehicles (2013: 227,000). 30,800 vehicle sales in December meant the manufacturer was able to more than triple its deliveries to customers (December 2013: 9,600 deliveries) – that was ŠKODA’s best-ever sales month in China. In 2014, ŠKODA did also very well in Israel (15,100 vehicles; plus 5.1 per cent), in Turkey (14,000 vehicles; plus 9.4 per cent) and in Algeria (11,100 vehicles; plus 21.2 per cent). In India, ŠKODA delivered 15,500 vehicles to customers in 2014 (2013: 22,600).
ŠKODA deliveries to customers in 2014 (in units, rounded, by model; +/- in per cent compared to 2013):
ŠKODA Octavia (389,300; +8.3 %)
ŠKODA Rapid (221,400; +113.3 %)
ŠKODA Fabia (160,500; -20.5 %)
ŠKODA Yeti (102,900; +24.8 %)
ŠKODA Superb (91,100; -3.5 %)
ŠKODA Roomster (29,600; -11.0 %)
ŠKODA Citigo (European sales only: 42,500; -6.0 %)
ŠKODA deliveries to customers in December 2014 (in units, rounded, by model; +/- in per cent compared to December 2013):
ŠKODA Octavia (35,100; +38.1 %)
ŠKODA Rapid (18,600; +49.7 %)
ŠKODA Fabia (9,700; -32.8 %)
ŠKODA Yeti (7,400; +9.4 %)
ŠKODA Superb (6,700; +30.7 %)
ŠKODA Roomster (1,900; -32.8 %)
ŠKODA Citigo (European sales only: 2.500; -17.0 %)