BERLIN (AP) Volkswagen reported weak sales numbers on Friday, a day after the giant German automaker announced plans to slash the number of models by nearly half as sales plunged, particularly in China.
The Wolfsburg, Germany-based company said group sales fell 8.6% in the second quarter to just under 2.1 million vehicles, with sales in China alone plummeted by more than one-third.
After a board meeting on Thursday, Volkswagen said its fundamental realignment over the last three years had reached its next phase, announcing plans to streamline the model lineup by up to half, without providing specifics.
CEO Oliver Blume laid out plans to make VW faster and more competitive through less complexity, focused technologies, better alignment across regional markets and reduction of overcapacities, among other things, citing an increasingly demanding environment.
Among its main brands, the core Volkswagen unit saw deliveries of slightly over 1 million vehicles in the second quarter, a drop of 14% from a year earlier. Deliveries at Audi declined 8% and those at Porsche fell 18%.
Lamborghini, Skoda and the trucks unit reported upticks, and sales grew in the Americas and Europe.
Volkswagen cited dramatic change over the last year, including geopolitical tensions, rising costs mainly through tariffs, and increasing regulatory requirements alongside growing competition.
As recently as December, Volkswagen was betting big on China , where electric cars have been taking a greater market share and competition is stiff.
Research firm BernsteinSG, in a note after Thursdays announcement, expressed skepticism. VW stated that it is extending its technology leadership, a claim that will likely raise eyebrows given the pace of innovation among its Chinese competitors, it said.
Also Thursday, hundreds of employees led a protest outside the Volkswagen plant in Zwickau to demand protections for jobs and voice opposition to plans to close the site. The factory has fully switched to making electric cars.
柏林（美联社）——大众汽车周五报告了疲软的销售数据。此前一天，这家德国汽车巨头宣布，由于销量大幅下滑（尤其是在中国市场），计划将车型数量削减近一半。
这家总部位于德国沃尔夫斯堡的公司表示，集团第二季度销量下降8.6%，降至略低于210万辆，其中仅在中国市场的销量就骤降逾三分之一。
大众汽车在周四的董事会会议后表示，过去三年进行的“根本性重组”已进入下一阶段，并宣布计划将车型阵容精简多达一半，但未透露具体细节。
大众汽车集团首席执行官奥利弗·布鲁姆提出了一系列计划，旨在通过简化流程、聚焦核心技术、加强区域市场协同以及削减过剩产能等措施，使大众汽车更具效率和竞争力。他同时指出，当前企业正面临“日益严峻的市场环境”。
在其主要品牌中，大众核心部门第二季度交付量略高于100万辆，同比下降14%。奥迪交付量下降8%，保时捷交付量下滑18%。
兰博基尼、斯柯达及卡车部门均实现销量增长，美洲与欧洲市场销售额同步攀升。
大众汽车指出，过去一年发生了巨大变化，包括地缘政治紧张局势加剧、主要由关税导致的成本上升、监管要求日益严格以及竞争不断加剧。
就在去年12月，大众汽车仍对中国市场押下重注——这里电动汽车正占据越来越大的市场份额，且竞争异常激烈。
研究机构BernsteinSG在周四公告发布后的报告中表达了质疑。"大众汽车宣称正在扩大其技术领先优势，鉴于中国竞争对手的创新速度，这一说法可能会引发质疑。"该机构表示。
同样在周四，数百名员工在茨维考的大众汽车工厂外发起抗议，要求保障就业岗位，并反对关闭该工厂的计划。该工厂已全面转向生产电动汽车。
