Amag: Skoda Octavia is number 1 again
BESTSELLER The Amag Group closes 2018 with consolidated sales of CHF 4.6 billion. And after the VW Golf, the Skoda Octavia Combi is once again the favorite of the Schweizer family. Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, Seat and VW Commercial Vehicles managed to achieve a total market share of 27.3 percent despite long delivery times. Amag was also confronted with a number of challenges in 2018, [...]
Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, Seat and VW Commercial Vehicles achieved a total market share of 27.3 percent despite long delivery times. Amag was also confronted with a number of challenges in 2018, including delivery uncertainties in connection with the changeover to the new WLTP test cycle and the EA189 diesel issue. Last year, Amag was the first country in the world to report that all affected engines had been upgraded.
Changes in the retail business
Since the beginning of January, five ASAG operations in northwestern Switzerland have also become part of Amag. Last year, a new VW Commercial Vehicles Center was opened in Schlieren and the new Amag Buchrain is scheduled to open at the end of March. At about the same time, Amag Beromünster will also open in the premises of Autocenter Lustenberger.
Amag First AG opened the first Classic Center for historic Porsche vehicles last spring. According to Amag CEO Morten Hannesbo, this is in response to the growing importance of historic vehicles.
Separation of Hyundai and Maserati
Auto 1 AG, which have representations of Hyundai, Maserati and Bentley, was merged into Amag as of July 1, 2018. At the same time, it was decided that the representations for Hyundai and Maserati will be discontinued in the spring of 2019 and the focus on Bentley will be further strengthened. According to Morten Hannesbo, the company wants to focus on its own brands."
Morten Hannesbo: "The industry is changing. New technologies, new mobility needs and digitalization will change the automotive business significantly in the medium term. The sharing economy is gaining more momentum, especially among young adults. Amag wants to play an active role here, which is why the Innovation & Venture LAB was founded in mid-2018. This is where digital transformation projects are bundled on the one hand, and equity investments and commitments in new forms of mobility on the other."
More than 1200 Porsche newly registered
A total of 299,716 new passenger cars were registered in Switzerland last year. Top of the model hit parade for the second time is the Skoda Octavia, which is particularly appreciated by the Swiss family.
It is followed by VW Golf and the best-selling SUV in Switzerland, the VW Tiguan. Amag First AG closes the year with 1232 newly registered Porsche, Bentley Zug sold 21 new cars last year.
Morten Hannesbo: "Since mid-2018, we have been driving on sight because of the new test cycle. Exact production planning was difficult for us and our partners. Based on our current order backlog and the expected availability of our models, I am very confident that we will have a good result again in 2019."
