Feb 24 (NHK) - Japanese customers can expect to pay higher prices for European-brand cars this year, due the soaring costs of raw materials and shipping.
German automaker Volkswagen says it will raise the prices of most of its models in Japan by about 2 percent on average from April. That would come on top of a round of hikes in October averaging around 1.5 percent.
Customers of the group's Audi brand can also expect a roughly 2-percent bump on several models.
Groupe PSA Japan has already gone ahead with price hikes. Most models under the French brands Peugeot, Citroen and DS Automobiles saw prices go up by around 3.3 percent on average in January.
Germany's Mercedes-Benz and some other European makers also raised prices last year on some models.
The automakers cite surging costs of raw materials like steel and precious metals. They add that high oil prices have raised shipping costs.
The price tags on some models may be marked up by around 1,000 dollars or more.
Japanese automakers have been managing to hold back so far amid intense price competition. But some say they may be forced to consider raising prices in the not-too-distant future.
