BRATISLAVA (SITA) -- Bratislava-based Volkswagen (VW) Ltd produced 40,885 cars during 1997 (of which 2,934 cars in December). Of this number Passats accounted for 5800, last Golf version, Golf A4, accounted for 1,426 cars and the rest were Golfs A3. The production of Passats B5 definitively concluded on the last day of 1997. In 1998, Bratislava VW will manufacture only Golfs. Dusan Marusak from the Public Relations Department provided this information to SITA. In December, the company produced 19,584 steering gears and the whole-year production accounted for 283,026 pieces. Bratislava VW produced 455,659 components in December and 6,233,943 pieces during the whole year. In late January it is expected that Bratislava VW will produce its 100,000th car since the start of the production in 1991. The company plans to produce 70,000 cars in 1998, almost doubled number in comparison with 1997. The company invested 160 million DEM into producti on last year and an equal sum will be invested in 1998 as well.