Volkswagen breaks 40-year-old sales record in 2012

Volkswagen breaks 40-year-old sales record in 2012 The last time Volkswagen moved this many vehicles in America in one year, Richard Nixon was still a President in good standing, Let It Be was a radio hit and each car wearing the VW badge boasted an air-cooled engine. That's right, with a grand total of 580,286 vehicles sold in the US last year, the VW Group has broken its own four-decades-old sales record by 2,899 vehicles.

Volkswagen breaks 40-year-old sales record in 2012

Volkswagen breaks 40-year-old sales record in 2012

Volkswagen breaks 40-year-old sales record in 2012

Volkswagen breaks 40-year-old sales record in 2012

Volkswagen breaks 40-year-old sales record in 2012

Volkswagen breaks 40-year-old sales record in 2012

Volkswagen breaks 40-year-old sales record in 2012

Volkswagen breaks 40-year-old sales record in 2012 headlight

Volkswagen breaks 40-year-old sales record in 2012

Of that 580k total sold, 438k were Volkswagens and 139k were Audi products – increases of 35.1 percent and 18.5 percent, respectively, in year-over-year sales. The ultra-premium members of the VW group also fared well; Bentley delivered 2,315 vehicles for a 23.3-precent increase, and Lamborghini delivered 520 units for a 52.9-percent jump. Bugatti, we're told is "right on track."

Jetta (pictured) sales paced the marque with 170k models sold, and Passat also finished very strong with sales of 117k total. Tiguan also racked up its best year on file, with 31,731 models shifted.

The company expects what it is calling "moderate growth" for the 2013 sales year ahead, though perhaps not at so blistering a rate as it racked up in 2012. Scroll down to read the official Volkswagen press release.