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Volkswagen Sales Up 19.5 Percent - Best July Since 1980

3 August 1999

Volkswagen Sales Up 19.5 Percent - Best July Since 1980 - Best Jetta and Passat July Ever

    AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Aug. 2 -- Volkswagen of America, Inc.
again recorded strong double-digit growth, reporting its best July sales
results in 19 years.
    For the month, Volkswagen sold 28,745 new cars in the U.S., which
represents a 19.5 percent increase over last year's July mark of 24,056.  Not
since 1980 has Volkswagen enjoyed July sales of this magnitude.
    So far in 1998, Volkswagen is well ahead of last year's brisk pace.  Year-
to-date, the German automaker has sold 179,240 new cars in the U.S., up 39.9
percent from the same period in 1998 when sales were 128,137.
    July represented another record breaking month for Volkswagen's best-
selling Jetta model, which was completely redesigned for the 1999 model year
and introduced last December.  Volkswagen sold 12,034 new Jettas in July
versus 1998's mark of 9,638, an increase of 24.9 percent.  It was the best
July sales figure in the history of the model, which was originally introduced
in the U.S. in 1980.
    July also marked more sales records for Volkswagen's award-winning Passat
sedan and wagon.  The Passat enjoyed its best July sales month ever with 6,446
sold in July, versus last year's figure of 3,154, an increase of 104.4
percent.