China is SKODAs largest individual market, accounting for 25% of the brand’s worldwide sales. Currently, SKODA’s dealer network is about 400 strong with plans to increase this number to over 600 mid-term. Over the past five years, the brand has been expanding by leaps and bounds in China. SKODA now aims to shift up a gear in the years ahead thanks to new models, expanded production capacity and strengthened dealer presence. This underscores China’s importance for the brand’s growth strategy.

‘For us, the past five years have been a success story without any other. Together with our Chinese partners, we have raised the pace in all areas and turned the market into SKODA’s largest sales market with just three models. China has become a second home for SKODA,’ said,’ said SKODA chief executive officer, Winfried Vahland.

‘We have set the stage for further growth as we intend to raise our global sales to at least 1.5m a year by 2018. This is why we will be introducing new models in the Chinese market from 2013. We will also be strengthening our sales presence and cooperating under the roof of Volkswagen Group and our joint venture partners to further increase capacities in China,’ he concluded.

In just five years, SKODA together with its partner Shanghai Volkswagen (SVW) delivered around 740,000 cars to customers. Soon, the 750,000th SKODA will roll off the line at SVW. ‘These are figures that make us proud because they show the capability of our entire team,’ added Vahland. ‘In 2007, SKODA was a manufacturer focussed on Europe. Only five years later, we have delivered around 740,000 cars to customers, a fantastic achievement for our company. We have established SKODA as a brand in just a few years in a market that is extremely competitive both in terms of quality and quantity.’

SKODA has been building on a close cooperation with Shanghai Volkswagen since the beginning of its activities in China. ‘SVW has been a reliable and competent partner for SKODA. We are grateful to SVW for a good and trusting cooperation over the past five years and we are looking forward to opening the next chapter of our Chinese success story with them’ he concluded. SVW was founded in 1984. The company operates one of the most modern production facilities in China.

SKODA models are proving hugely popular with customers in China, with the Fabia, Octavia and Superb regularly receiving important awards, including the Octavia being voted most dependable car in its class in 2011. Octavia and Superb were both named “Car of the Year” as part of the “China Auto Market Media Award” in 2011. The brand has also steadily gained renown in China across models, such as when SKODA was named joint venture brand with the most growth potential in West China by “Sina Cars” and several dailies in 2011. In May 2012, SVW-SKODA received the “Best Customer Car Award”.