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Volkswagen's March Sales Up 58 Percent

1 April 1999

Volkswagen's March Sales Up 58 Percent - Best in 18 Years - Record Sales for Jetta and Passat

    AUBURN HILLS, Mich., April 1 -- Volkswagen of America, Inc.
reported record-breaking sales for the month of March, surpassing any March
total since 1981.
    Volkswagen sold 26,488 new cars in the U.S. last month, an increase of 58
percent over last March's 16,765.  It marks Volkswagen's best March in 18
years and best month overall since May of 1981.
    For the year, Volkswagen has sold 63,525 new cars, an increase of 60.6
percent over the same period in 1998 when sales were 39,566.
    March also saw all-time record sales for its best-selling Jetta model,
which was totally redesigned for the 1999 model year.  Volkswagen sold 10,874
new Jettas in March, an increase of 39.7 percent over last year's figure of
7,786 and the best single month ever for this model, which first arrived to
the market in 1980.  The Jetta remains America's number-one selling European
nameplate.
    An all-time record sales month was also recorded for Volkswagen's popular
and award-winning Passat midsize sedan and wagon.  Passat sales for March were
5,782, up 80.8 percent from 1998 when they were 3,198.
    Volkswagen's New Beetle also enjoyed brisk sales in March with sales of
7,310 versus last March's figure of 2,365.  In its first full calendar year of
sales, the New Beetle recorded sales of 75,144.