It's been quite the year for German automaker Volkswagen. Not only was this the year they released the completely redesigned VW Beetle, but the Jetta received an impressive update. And then Motor Trend gave the 2012 Passat their coveted Car of the Year award. And the icing on the cake, it seems, will be for Volkswagen to close out the year as the world's largest automaker.

That's not an easy feat, either. American automaker GM has held the top spot for global sales for the last 70 years. But back in 2006, VW set their eyes on it. With global sales up to 6.2-million units at the end of September,   forecasters are saying that the company is poised to unseat General Motors by year's end. This is way ahead of their original goal of becoming the world's largest automaker by 2018. Needless to say, Kuni Automotive is pretty excited to see how the numbers pan out as the year comes to a close.

How did they do it? We mentioned the redesigns of the three big VW models - the Beetle, Passat and Jetta - but sales in China and other emerging markets has further bolstered their global presence. Even more than that, sales in the United States continues to grow due to things like a reduced entry price for the Jetta. Quality and satisfaction numbers continue to go up as well, growing a firm customer base in the country.

As per goals set at company headquarters in Germany, Volkswagen sales in America have surpassed 400,000 annual units. The automaker continues to work towards a goal of one million vehicles by 2018, which means they'll have to more than double their sales in the next six years - but it's not really much of a stretch when you consider that sales of the Jetta have jumped 63-percent just this year.

Not only will Volkswagen continue to improve on quality and overall customer satisfaction, they're learning from the car makers (like GM) who have manufactured American-favorite vehicles for decades. Jonathan Browning, Chief Executive, Volkswagen Group of America says, "This is the most transparent and competitive market in the world, bar none. That's what makes the opportunity for growth as great as it is. If you do the right things and have good products, word gets out in the marketplace. ...The marketplace is rich in lessons of how to do things well and what to avoid. You have to get the fundamentals right."¹

Kuni Roseville Volkswagen has seen firsthand all the ways Volkswagen continues to get the fundamentals right. That said, we invite you to visit us at 830 Automall Dr Roseville, CA 95661 to see why more and more people are investing in the safety and quality of a Volkswagen. Be sure to contact us via our website to schedule your test drive or learn more about any of the new Volkswagen models in our showroom.

Source:¹http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-auto-show-vw-qa-20111122,0,5820060.story