Volkswagen sets sales record in 2018

German car giant Volkswagen said it sold a record number of vehicles in 2018 even as it felt the sting from US-China trade tensions and problems with European emissions tests in the final months of the year.

Some 10.83mn vehicles from the 12-brand group rolled out of dealerships last year, up 0.9 per cent on 2017, the automaker said in a statement.

"We are very pleased about this great result. Especially in the second half, things were not easy for us," said Christian Dahlheim, head of Volkswagen group sales. Strong demand for SUVs contributed to growth in the key markets of Europe, the United States, China and South America.