German auto giant Volkswagen said on Friday, April 13 it sold more than two million vehicles worldwide in the first quarter of the current year, thanks to strong demand in China, North America and Russia, AFP reported.

VW said in a statement unit sales rose by 9.6 percent to 2.16 million worldwide in the period from January to March, the first time that quarterly sales have topped the two-million mark.

"The Volkswagen Group developed very well in the first quarter. We produced another strong performance in North America, China and Russia. However, uncertainty continues, particularly on the markets in Western Europe" said board member Christian Klingler. The group's car brands cover VW, Audi, Skoda and SEAT and its commercial vehicles division includes MAN and Scania.