[Mark]

BIMMERPOST NEWS

BMW Group increases sales by 22.1% in May

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Most successful May ever for BMW Group sales

Solid double-digit growth across Europe, America and Asia

The BMW Group is well on its way to a record year with another all-time sales high for the month of May. A total of 147,563 BMW, MINI and Rolls Royce brand vehicles were delivered to customers (prev. yr. 120,850/ +22.1%). Deliveries for the year to the end of May climbed 20.7% to 667,511 vehicles (prev. yr. 552,866).

Ian Robertson, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Sales and Marketing: “This was the most successful May the company has ever reported in sales. Our young vehicle portfolio continues to perform strongly and we are seeing healthy balanced growth worldwide. There is a strong demand for BMW X vehicles and the BMW 5 Series, which has further strengthened its position as segment leader. Robertson added: “We are looking forward to even more momentum at the end of the year with the September launch of the new BMW 1 Series in Europe. We are well on course to maintain our position as the world’s leading manufacturer of premium vehicles throughout 2011.”

The BMW Group made strong retail gains across the globe, driven by its three most important markets Germany, USA and China. In the German market 29,372 (prev.yr. 22,993/ +27.7%) BMW Group vehicles were registered in May. Sales continued to increase in the U.S. with the delivery of 26,452 (prev. yr. 22,092/ +19.7%) vehicles in May. In Mainland China, 21,150 customers took delivery of a new BMW Group vehicle (prev. yr. 13,998 units/ +51.1%). Solid double-digit growth was also reported by the Group in all major European markets in May, as well as in the so-called BRIKT markets: Brazil (+57.3%), Russia (58.3%), India (+160.9%), Korea (+49.1%) and Turkey (130.2%).

Regarding the individual brands: BMW brand volumes increased by 19% in May to 121,168 vehicles (prev. yr. 101,781). Sales of BMW brand vehicles were 19.2% higher than the previous year at 555,429 units (466,088) at the end of May.

The new BMW X3 continued to perform strongly in May with 10,182 units sold (prev. yr. 4,371/ +132.9%) and the BMW 5 Series solidified its position as the segment leader with total sales of 26,457 vehicles (prev. yr. 16,186/ +63.5%).

The MINI brand also had a very successful May. Sales climbed to 26,104 vehicles (prev. yr. 18,849) – an increase of 38.5% over the same period last year. The number of MINI vehicles through May rose this year to 110,802 (prev. yr. 86,100/ +28.7%) vehicles. The MINI Countryman has now been launched in all markets and is expected to boost MINI to a record sales year in 2011.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars saw sustained sales growth in all markets during the period.

BMW Motorrad: Global sales rose by 3.5% to 12,568 units in May. Worldwide a total of 48.749 BMW motorcycles were delivered to customers in the year to the end of May 2011. This represents an increase of 7.3% year-on-year. The strongest market for BMW Motorrad is Germany with 9,496 deliveries (prev. yr. 7,240 / +31.1%) per Mai.

Husqvarna Motorcycles delivered 3,080 motorcycles (-4.6%) in the first five months of the year. 537 motorcycles were delivered in May (-59,5%).

[1on135_deal]

Surprised that many minis are selling but good job, hopefully quality is not lost in the process.

[antzcrashing]

tell me how many 1Ms they sold. Otherwise do not care

[cmk227]

Originally Posted by 1on135_deal

Surprised that many minis are selling but good job, hopefully quality is not lost in the process.

This what worry me. X1-x10, 1-10 series and Z1-Z10. It seems that they want to be everything for everybody. I know ford, chevy and chyrsler have tried this before.

Please just focus on improving the product and making it the best out there.

Higher sales number does not represent better quality.

[Zadjali]

Can't wait to see the new 1-series sales!

[TheBingoBalls]

Originally Posted by 1on135_deal

Surprised that many minis are selling but good job, hopefully quality is not lost in the process.

I think in this economy, MINI's are actually great. I can get 760km+ on one tank @ $1.42 91 octane. Add that the MINI is actually fun to drive and feels solid, I think it's a better buy than those other small, fuel economy cars.

[Ranjohn]

Originally Posted by wallstreet

I'm sure US numbers will be much higher if they will bring over the rest of the smaller engines, hatch, diesels and so on.

I'm sure too. But again, look at the cars Americans are driving and you know what type of people they are, specially in the south and west where people think the only good cars are Mustang and Escalade. You can't just bring European cars to America that many rednecks don't appreciate. Plus the road conditions are different, unbiasedly to say, many of the auto reviews exaggerate on the handling of cars that lured many American buyers to believe their cars have to bite corners like a M3 or Lotus. In this country, most of the straight and relatively wider comparing to Europeans. Moreover, the diesel tech has not been embraced by Americans at all. They would say not all the gas stations have diesel, and the gas stations will be like not many diesel cars around. Like a chain. However, under current situation, I totally agree that smaller engines are more desirable, just make sure not too much power is sacrificed, learn from Audi.

[IancoleTX]

Congratulations, now stop changing your cars to sell more cars

[BLTZKRG]

Originally Posted by cmk227

This what worry me. X1-x10, 1-10 series and Z1-Z10. It seems that they want to be everything for everybody. I know ford, chevy and chyrsler have tried this before.

Please just focus on improving the product and making it the best out there.

Higher sales number does not represent better quality.

True, but the only way for a company with such a big brand to expand and grow is to have more model lineups, look at Ferrari and Lamborghini (they are developing 4 seaters, awd GT cars, and other cars that are not their "forte" type of car)

BMW has maxed out the capabilities and functions of each model I believe, that is also a reason to expand.

Economy also forces companies to broaden their portfolio.

As long they stay RWD, less turbo vehicles (every company need efficiency but BMW should really bring back their NA heritage), similar looks in design (i.e. new F10 5 series, mix of new and E39 style cues, I love it)

Anyways, people keep buying them so yea, they will keep making them, and the numbers show it so they won't stop anytime soon.

Remember 5 years ago, people were like why make the 1 series and now we have a 1M? Progression in a company you see it in their products