CTK quoted Mr Jaroslav Cerny spokesman of car maker Skoda Auto as saying that it sold 56,504 cars in the Czech Republic in 2009, down by 2.6% YoY from 1,497 in 2008.

In 2007, when the car industry did not have to grapple with the economic crisis, Skoda Auto sold 64,306 cars on the domestic market. Interest in Skoda cars grew in the Czech Republic in the course of the year and sales in the last quarter were 25% higher than in Q4 2008.

Mr Jan Hurt, head of sales for Central Europe, said that despite the stagnation and fall at the beginning of the year due to the global economic crisis, Skoda Auto raised sales in particular in the second half of the year, confirming thus its stable position in the Central European region. He added that data on car registration in the Czech Republic were also influenced by the introduction of car-scrapping schemes in the neighbouring countries.

Mr Hurt noted that the introduction of two new models off road Skoda Yeti and Superb Combi could also have boosted the sales. He said that "We expect a very hard year but we still believe in revival of future sales."

(Sourced from Czech News Agency)