Apr. 16, 2012 (China Knowledge) - Germany-based Volkswagen AG, the largest auto maker in Europe, along its Chinese joint ventures, sold a total of 633,800 vehicles in mainland China, Macau and Hong Kong in the first quarter of this year, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 15.6%.

Sales of Volkswagen cars in the region rose 12.5% to 483,400 units during the period, said the auto maker in a statement.

Volkswagen saw its delivery of Audi cars and Bentley vehicles reach 90,000 and 555 units in the first quarter, up 40% and 84% year on year, respectively.

Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann, CEO and president of Volkswagen Group China, expected that the firm's China sales this year would exceed its sales in 2011.

Volkswagen, the first foreign automaker allowed to produce vehicles in China, owns joint ventures with FAW Group, the parent firm of FAW Car Co Ltd<000800>, and SAIC Motor Corp Ltd<600104>, China's No.1 carmaker.