Many consumers have seen the clever commercials for Volkswagen‘s “sign and drive” deal, and apparently a few people did more than just watch. It was recently announced that the German automaker recently surpassed its American sales for the first time in 40 years.

Autoblog.com reports the company behind the VW Bug, Bus and Rabbit sold a total of 586,286 vehicles in 2012 alone, surpassing the four-decade-old record by a total of 2,899 cars. Breaking it down even further, the brand sold 438,000 in Volkswagen’s and 139,000 in Audi vehicles – an increase of 35.1 percent and 18.5 percent respectively.

Volkswagen is also behind a few ultra luxury brands including Bentley, which had a total of 2,315 sales in 2012, a growth of 23.3 percent. Close to 520 units of Lamborghinis were sold for a 52.9 percent increase, while the Bugatti was predicted to be “right on track.”

The Jetta proved to be the most popular ride in the Volkswagen lineup with 170,000 models sold, while the Passat was right behind it with 117,000 bought in 212.

“Our employees and our dealer and supplier partners have worked very hard to establish foundations for success in the U.S. market, and they deserve so much credit for setting this new record,” said Jonathan Browning, president and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. “We are pleased to see all of our brands contributing to growth and setting this new landmark.”

Those in the New Jersey/New York Area who are in the market for a Volkswagen, but who cannot afford to buy new, might want to head down to the New Jersey State Auto Auction to find a more affordable and still reliable used model. The inventory is always changing so consumers can check back frequently to find the Jetta, Passat or Golf of their dreams. Plus, every car on the lot is Carfax certified, so buyers know they’ll be getting behind the wheel of a reliable ride.