VW predicts difficult second half for commercial vehicles unit

The head of Volkswagen's VWC commercial vehicles unit on Monday predicted a difficult second half of the year following strong sales in the first.

"We are aware that many markets are currently cooling," VWN head Carsten Intra said during the IAA Transportation commercial vehicles trade fair in Hanover. "The second half year will be challenging," Intra said.

During the first half, VWC deliveries were up 11.5% on the same period last year, with adjusted operating profits up 43% to €641 million ($713 million). The return on sales came in at 7.9%.

The figures were boosted by strong orders for the T6.1 transporter, a mid-size van which came onto the market at the end of June.

Deliveries of the successor model, which was presented for the first time at IAA Transportation, are set to start at the end of the year.

More than 10,000 orders for the new vehicle had come in since August, Lars Krause, head of VWC sales and marketing, said. The new transporter has been developed along with Ford and is being assembled at Ford's plant in Turkey.