BERLIN - Volkswagen AG sold more than four million vehicles world-wide in the first half of the year, Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn said Monday, adding that Europe's largest auto maker expects to reach the eight million threshold this year for the first time.

Asked whether Volkswagen would reach the eight million mark in 2011, Mr. Winterkorn replied "I guess so."

Speaking at an evening event for the launch of the new-generation VW Beetle model, Mr. Winterkorn said that global sales at the company's core VW brand rose 11.8 percent on the year to more than 2.5 million cars in the January-to-June period, reported The Wall Street Journal.

Mr. Winterkorn said the U.S. is set to remain the Beetle's largest single market, accounting for roughly 50 percent of global sales. He said China could emerge as the Beetle's second-largest market as customer feedback there has been positive. The Beetle "is a cornerstone of our growth strategy in the U.S.," Mr. Winterkorn said, adding that around 85 percent of the car's components are produced locally in North America, which improves the profitability of the vehicle compared with the previous generation.

Mr. Winterkorn said Volkswagen probably has to expand its dealership network in the U.S. to keep up with the planned expansion. Volkswagen aims to roughly triple its annual U.S. sales volume to one million vehicles by 2018, with the Audi luxury brand accounting for 200,000 cars.

Mr. Winterkorn, however, dismissed a recent media report suggesting that Audi has made a final decision to produce cars in the U.S. "Nothing has been decided," he said, adding that the decision will be made by the end of this year.