Europe鈥檚 largest automaker Volkswagen said Wednesday that sales into the United States had taken a hit, underscoring the impact of president Donald Trump鈥檚 drastic trade measures.
Total vehicle deliveries into North America fell almost seven per cent in the first half of the year, the German group said, even as overall deliveries worldwide notched a rise of 1.3 per cent.
In the three months to June 鈥� a period dominated by the fallout of Trump announcing 25-per cent tariffs on cars in late March and further sweeping duties in April 鈥� deliveries to North America plunged 16.2 per cent.
In China, a key market where European carmakers are struggling against the electric models of local competitors such as BYD, first-half deliveries fell just over two per cent.
Marco Schubert, board member for sales at the firm, said the declines were 鈥榚xpected鈥� and that 鈥榞ains in South America and Europe more than offset鈥� the impact.
Trump has announced a wide range of duties in a bid to boost US manufacturing, but promptly suspended the implementation of many of them before inviting countries to seek trade deals after markets plunged worldwide.
Though April鈥檚 鈥楲iberation Day鈥� tariffs have been paused until August 1, a 25-per cent tariff on imported cars that are not largely made within North America remains in force.
Carmakers have rushed to find ways to minimise the impact of the levies, with high-end automaker Mercedes-Benz on Monday saying it had delayed some US deliveries in the expectation of tariffs coming back down.
Stuttgart-based Porsche reported Tuesday a 10-per cent rise in its first-half North American sales, saying it had plentiful stocks in the region and that increased import tariffs had offered a degree of 鈥榩rotection鈥� for its cars.
But overall first-half sales fell at both firms after being dragged down by China, with Porsche鈥檚 deliveries in the country down 28 per cent and Mercedes-Benz鈥檚 car sales falling 14 per cent.