Volvo Cars has announced record global sales for the first half of 2018, with the 317 639 vehicles sold representing an increase of 14,4 percent compared with the same period in 2017. In South Africa, too, the Swedish brand is finding renewed success, with a 13,7% year-on-year increase in local sales in the first six months of the year.

Globally, the new XC60 continued to be the automaker’s best-selling model, with 88 786 units sold in the first half of the year. Next in terms of global sales came the XC90 with 47 658 units and then the Volvo V40/V40 Cross Country at 41 588 units.

During the first half of 2018, the S90 managed 30 977 units, while the new XC40 totalled 23 741 units.

China was Volvo’s largest single market (with 61 480 units sold), where it experienced 18,4 percent growth on strong demand for the XC60 and S90. Meanwhile, Europe reported solid 5,7 percent growth in the first half to 164 480 units, driven by demand for the XC60, the 90 Series vehicles and the XC40.

“Locally, Volvo is on a strong growth curve – our sales figures in June this year are almost double that of June 2017,” said Greg Maruszewski, managing director of Volvo Car South Africa, referring to the brand's total of 301 units in the passenger vehicle market in June 2018.

“With an excellent product line-up, improving dealer network, offers such as guaranteed buy-back and our own very competitive insurance and rentals plans, we’re offering SA buyers the value and quality they expect from a luxury brand – our 13,7% increase so far this year is a reflection of that,” he added.