Volkswagen reports record sales for 2012

(AP) German automaker Volkswagen AG says its 2012 group sales hit a record high as growing demand around the world more than offset sluggish sales in Europe.

It says Monday that more than nine million vehicles were delivered for the first time. The total of 9.07 million was up 11.2 percent from the 8.16 million delivered in 2011. December sales were also up 20.7 percent over the same month last year.

Geographically, North American sales spiked 26.2 percent to 841,500 vehicles, while those in South America rose 8.2 percent to 1.01 million. Asia-Pacific sales were 23.3 percent higher at 3.17 million.

Those increases helped offset a 6.5 percent drop in western Europe, excluding Germany, to 1.85 million vehicles. German sales rose 1.9 percent to 1.18 million vehicles.