Local distributors have started coming out of the woodwork to confirm the scale of last month’s credible month of new-vehicle registrations; the largest March in New Zealand history, as confirmed yesterday by the Motor Industry Association.
The latest of these distributors is Volkswagen New Zealand; the German firm’s local arm confirming in a release that it sold more cars last month than in any other month previous; 528 vehicles nationwide.
The news comes hot on the back of the local launch of the updated Tiguan SUV and all-new Mk8 Golf. According to Volkswagen New Zealand general manager Greg Leet, both models achieved more than 150 per cent of their expected targets.
“Throughout March, Golf 8 recorded 161% of its recent monthly sales volume average and the Tiguan Facelift achieved 145% of its recent monthly sales volume average as well,” Leet said.
Volkswagen is the second brand to name March as its greatest month in history, following Subaru New Zealand’s similar declaration last week. The surge in sales is partially down to an increase in recent arrivals, helping quench existing pre-orders that had been backed up by a lack of supply.
Volkswagen notes that replicating these figures in the coming months isn’t the goal. Instead the firm says it will be pivoting its attention to making sure that its recent customers are looked after. It also awaits the arrival of a trio of new R performance models.
“While we will continue to do all we can to replicate these sales targets in coming months, Volkswagen New Zealand’s focus for 2021 will also shift to aftersales products to ensure servicing flexibility for our valued customers, as well as looking ahead to complement our launch line-up of performance R models this year – Golf R, Tiguan R and Touareg R,” Leet added.
“The Touareg R will very much be the performance brand-shaper, and we’re excited to demonstrate this highly anticipated performance model when it arrives in New Zealand as a plug-in hybrid vehicle, PHEV.”
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