Strategy 2018: VW wants to significantly increase profitability

D he board has the group' strategy 2018 ' concretized. In the first nine months of last year, the return on sales was 1.6 percent.

Worldwide sales are expected to be around eight million cars

Der Worldwide sales are expected to rise to around eight million cars in the 'medium term' and to more than ten million by 2018 - this number was already known. Last year, VW had set a sales record against the industry trend. The number of deliveries rose by 1.1 percent to 6.29 million vehicles.

Integration of Porsche not taken into account

Volkswagen aims to become the world's largest carmaker by 2018 and replace Toyota. VW is currently number three behind the Japanese and US automaker General Motors.

The target return on sales of at least five percent does not take the integration of Porsche into account, it said. Industry leader Toyota , which VW wants to overtake, was last slipped into the red. The Japanese were previously considered to be one of the most profitable car manufacturers in the world - with a return of eight to ten percent.

The 'Strategy 2018' by VW also plans to further reduce costs. This should be achieved, among other things, by significantly expanding the so-called modular principle - this enables more cost-effective production.