BMW pencils in another record year for 2017

Following a sixth consecutive record-breaking year, BMW Group sales achieved their best-ever start to the year with January figures showing increased deliveries in all world regions.

With three premium brands, BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce, the BMW delivered 163,288 vehicles worldwide, an increase of 6.8 per cent compared with January last year.

Dr Ian Robertson, member of the BMW AG board of management responsible for Sales and marketing, said: “We’re confident that the new models we’re bringing to market this year, especially the new generation BMW 5 Series which is about to arrive in dealerships, will ensure further momentum as the year goes on. We continue to focus on profitability and sustainable levels of growth distributed around the world.”

Sales of BMW brand vehicles grew 7.2 per cent compared with January last year; a total of 143,553 BMWs were delivered worldwide. Deliveries of the BMW X1 rose 40.2 per cent (20,059); BMW 3 Series sales grew 6.3 per cent (28,684) and the brand’s flagship BMW 7 Series achieved a 29.8 per cent jump in sales, with 4,403 units sold.

BMW Group electrified vehicles continue to reflect the ongoing increase in customer demand for alternative drive vehicles: deliveries were up 115.8 per cent on the same month last year with 5,232 BMW i and BMW iPerformance vehicles sold in January. Sales of electrified BMW Group models are set to increase still further in 2017 with the introduction of the BMW 530e iPerformance in March and the MINI Cooper S E Countryman ALL4 plug-in hybrid in June.

MINI also achieved increased sales in January. A total of 19,563 were delivered worldwide with sales up 3.7 per cent compared with the same month last year. The MINI Cabrio (1,517 +690 per cent) and the MINI Clubman (3,693 +60.5 per cen) were the brand’s main growth drivers. With the market launch of the MINI Countryman being rolled out from February, sales at MINI are set for continuing growth in 2017.

Following record sales of over a million vehicles in 2016, January deliveries of BMW and MINI in Europe were up 3.5 per cent (63,915). While almost all markets registered growth, the BMW Group’s home market, Germany, saw registrations increase 17.2 per cent (20,034). Sales in the UK, the region’s second largest market, grew 4.9 per cent (9,921) and deliveries in France rose 5.4 per cent (5,556).

Sales of BMW and MINI vehicles in Asia achieved double-digit growth with 66,719 vehicles delivered to customers (+12.1 per cent). Sales in the region’s largest market, Mainland China, topped the 50,000 mark for the first time in a single month, with deliveries totalling 51,345, an increase of 18.2 per cent.

The group described sales of BMW and MINI sales in the Americas as stable with a 1.0 per cent increase compared to the same month last year (26,940). In the USA, a total of 21,219 vehicles were delivered to customers (-0.5 per cent) while Canada grew sales by 2.5 per cent (2,337).

BMW Motorrad sold 7,503 motorcycles and maxi-scooters, an increase of 0.2 per cent on the same month last year.

                                            BMW Group sales in 2016

The BMW Group achieved its best ever sales in 2016, the sixth year in a row the company has set a new sales record, maintaining its position as the world’s leading premium car company with its three brands, BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce.

Having recorded steady sales growth throughout the year, a total of 2,367,603 BMW Group vehicles were sold around the world in 2016, an increase of 5.3 per cent compared with the previous year.

In 2016, the BMW brand achieved a new full-year sales record of more than two million vehicles. A total of 2,003,359 BMW brand vehicles were sold worldwide, 5.2 per cent more than in the previous year.

The worldwide trend towards increasing SUV sales was reflected by the continuing success of the BMW X family, with one in three BMWs sold being an X vehicle. A total of 644,992 BMW X models was delivered in 2016, an increase of 22.3 per cent compared with 2015. Growth drivers included the BMW 2 Series (196,183 +24.8 per cent) and the brand’s flagship BMW 7 Series, which saw sales increase by 69.2 per cent to total 61,514.

Full-year sales of BMW electrified vehicles topped 62,000 in 2016, with the figures growing strongly through the year as more models were added to the line-up. The BMW Group now offers a total of seven electrified vehicles. In the coming months, BMW will have nine electrified vehicles in its portfolio and is targeting electrified sales of 100,000 units in 2017.

Last year was the first full year of MINI sales following the brand’s realignment in 2015, and MINI recorded its best-ever sales results with a total of 360,233 vehicles delivered to customers, an increase of 6.4 per cent.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars announced the second highest annual sales in the marque’s 113-year history, against a backdrop of challenging market conditions. The Goodwood-based luxury house delivered 4,011 units (+6.0 per cent) to customers globally during 2016.

Annual sales of BMW and MINI in Europe topped the one million mark for the first time ever, with a total of 1,091,192 vehicles delivered in 2016, an increase of 9.2 per cent. Every market in the region contributed to that record figure, with many achieving double-digit growth. Meanwhile more than a quarter of a million BMWs and MINIs were delivered to customers in the UK, where sales were up 9.2% compared with the previous year.

Sales of BMW and MINI vehicles in Asia experienced strong growth in 2016 with a total of 745,784 vehicles delivered, up 9.0 per cent compared with 2015. The region’s largest market, Mainland China, achieved an 11.3 per cent increase, with a total of 516,355 vehicles sold. This is the first time more than half a million BMWs and MINIs were sold in China in a single year. Many other markets in the region also achieved strong growth in 2016: Japan (74,935 +8.3 per cent) and South Korea (58,500 +7.2 per cent) are two examples.

However, full-year sales of BMW and MINI vehicles in the Americas were down 7.2 per cent than the record high achieved in 2015, with a total of 458,982 units sold. Canada grew 6.1 per cent (44,621) and deliveries in Mexico, Argentina and Latin American importer markets rose 15.4 per cent (34,670). But “exceptionally competitive” market conditions in the US caused sales to plummet 9.7 per cent (365,204). No prizes there for the US sales manager!

In the world of two-wheelers, 2016 proved a record year too for BMW Motorrad. With BMW managers usually penciling in single-digit sales (usually 5 per cent to be on the safe side) whenever they plan next year’s sales targets (in order to please management) full-year BMW Motorrad sales were up a respectable 5.9 per cent with a total of 145,032 motorcycles and maxi-scooters were sold. BMW Motorrad claims it will “further grow” its range as part of its new strategy, aiming at a target of 200,000 sales in 2020.