Volkswagen has been enjoying a meteoric rise for some time, and recently they hit a truly impressive benchmark. The company has sold more than 4 million vehicles in the first half of 2011 – a European record. Compared to the same period in 2010, deliveries of new vehicles went up by 14%. And, you guessed it, this extraordinary growth did not come from Europe – it came (mostly) from those spend-happy Asian markets.

Sales across Asia – but mostly in China – have increased by an impressive 19%, rising to 1.26 million vehicle sales. China is, as you would expect, the largest of all Asian markets – although India is not far behind.

But despite the fact that Europeans from Portugal to Greece have been tightening their belts for some time, many people have still found the money – and seen the value – in purchasing a Volkswagen. Most of the European growth, however, (9.3%) occurred in Eastern Europe, where the nouveau riches are seeking classy products on which to spend their money.

And it isn’t only the VW brand that has pushed up the profits of the VW Group. The company also owns fellow German brand Audi, Spanish car outfit Seat and the ex-Eastern Bloc favourite – the Skoda. All three add-on car makers have also seen impressive increases in sales.

The company also experienced sizeable increases in sales in both North and South America, where it saw a 21% and 11% increase respectively. Around 774,000 were sold in both continents.

The company’s reputation for providing cars that don’t require you to call on your annual breakdown cover provider every few journeys has made it a household favourite across the world. But as the next six months begin, VW are only too aware of the hard work required in order to maintain such impressive sales figures.