BMW Group increases sales and market share

 UThe first-ever BMW X7 with Design Pure Excellence in Arctic Grey, light alloy wheels styling 757 (10/2018)

Por João Trincheiras

Munich. BMW Group sales continue to grow steadily, with deliveries of premium BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce vehicles increasing by 0.7% in April. The month saw a total of 196,179 BMW Group vehicles delivered to customers, bringing the total for the year-to-date to 801,520 / +0.2%. This positive result was achieved despite the downward trend in many markets around the world.

“This positive sales result, achieved in a challenging environment, shows that with our ongoing model rollout, we are attracting new customers to our core brand and making steady progress towards achieving our goal of increased sales in 2019,” said Pieter Nota, Member of the BMW AG Board of Management responsible for Customer, Brands and Sales. “Demand for the BMW X7 has exceeded our expectations and has helped overall sales of our BMW X vehicles grow by over 20% in April. The model changeover of the BMW 3 Series is proceeding as planned and in markets where the seventh generation is already available, customers are responding very positively to the new model,” Nota continued.

Sales of BMW brand vehicles increased by 2.3% in April, with a total of 171,154 delivered to customers worldwide in the month. That result brings the brand’s sales total for the first four months of the year to 690,469 / +0.8%. The biggest growth drivers were the BMW X vehicles. Global sales of the BMW X2 were more than double that of April last year, while sales of the BMW X3 increased by 71.0% and deliveries of the BMW X4 rose by 36.2%. In total, BMW X vehicles accounted for 43.3% of the brand’s overall sales in April with 74,049 delivered around the world, an increase of 20.5% on the same month last year.

Despite the model changeover of the BMW 3 Series, the BMW Group’s electrified vehicles are maintaining sales in the year-to-date at the same high level as last year. Demand for the BMW i3 keeps on growing, with sales in April up 21.6%. Meanwhile more than a quarter of all BMW 2 Series Active Tourer delivered to customers are electrified (BMW 225xe iPerformance Active Tourer: fuel consumption combined: 2.5-2.3 l/100 km; power consumption combined: 13.7-13.4 kWh/100 km; CO2 emissions combined: 57-52 g/km), while sales of the plug-in hybrid MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 (fuel consumption combined: 2.5-2.4 l/100 km, power consumption combined 13.7-13.4 kWh/100 km, CO2 emissions combined: 56-55 g/km) more than quadrupled in the month. By the end of next year, the BMW Group will have introduced ten new or updated electrified models. By 2025, the company plans to have at least 25 electrified models on the market, 12 of which will be fully electric.

In an extremely competitive segment, and with the company maintaining its focus on profitability, MINI brand sales decreased compared to last year. Deliveries in the year to date totalled 109,443 (-3.7%) while sales in April dropped 9.9% to 24,623. The month saw a four-week break in production at Plant Oxford due to a scheduled annual maintenance period. Preparations continue for the launch of the all-new fully-electric MINI later this year, a model which will be built at the UK plant.

BMW Motorrad sales continue to grow strongly, with year-to-date deliveries up 7.7% (57,014). In April, a total of 18,408 (+7.7%) premium BMW Motorrad motorcycles and maxi scooters were delivered to customers around the world.

Sales in the regions/markets

Despite the various headwinds currently affecting the automotive industry, BMW achieved sales growth in its four biggest sales markets in April, bucking the trend in China, the USA, Germany and the UK. The brand leads the premium segment in the USA in the year to date and in April grew its share of the market in both Germany and the UK. Despite the ongoing competitive global market environment and some other headwinds, the BMW Group does expect momentum to increase as the year progresses. The company continues to follow its strategy of prioritising profitability before volume.