UPDATE 1-VW production boss to become head of Skoda

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FRANKFURT, July 10 (Reuters) - Volkswagen's Czech unit Skoda said on Tuesday its supervisory board has appointed VW brand production boss Reinhard Jung to replace outgoing Skoda chief Detlef Wittig in October.

Wittig, who at 65 years old has reached retirement age, will act as a consultant for the group, Skoda said.

Analysts say Skoda is the pearl in Volkswagen's brand portfolio, having become a huge success for Europe's biggest carmaker since it bought the Czech carmaker in 1991.

Skoda now achieves higher operating margins than the VW or Audi brands.

As it gradually sheds its poor image as the local carmaker of a formally communist country, Skoda's production has tripled, the model range has been overhauled and expanded and both sales and profits are at record levels.

In the first half of this year, Skoda's total vehicle sales worldwide rose about 13 percent to 311,062 cars.

Jung will be succeeded in his current position by Jochem Heizmann, who already serves as head of production for the entire Volkswagen group.