Slower growth expected in the automotive markets
Despite the economic uncertainty, the global economy and many automotive markets are expected to continue growing in 2013 and 2014, with the emerging markets again playing a key role. The Volkswagen Group intends to take advantage of the opportunities presented by this trend by building on the strength of its brand diversity, pioneering technologies and strong market position.
The Group’s key business risks are explained in detail in the risk report on the previous pages. In this section we describe the expected future development of the Volkswagen Group and the general framework for its business activities. We take the resulting opportunities and potential into account in the Group’s planning process on an ongoing basis, allowing them to be exploited promptly.
Our forecasts are based on current estimates by third-party institutions. These include economic research institutes, banks, multinational organizations and consulting firms.