The Auto Channel: North America | Europe

BMW Group sales up 3.9% in May

The BMW Group increased its automobile sales once again in May. 133,496 BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce vehicles were delivered to customers (prev.yr.: 128,434) in the month under review. This represents a gain of 3.9%. For the year to May, sales climbed 6.7% to reach a total of 618,731 vehicles (prev.yr.: 579,745). This is the first time in the company's history that more than 600,000 vehicles have already been sold by the end of May.

BMW brand grows by 2.0%

For the BMW brand, deliveries rose 2.0% to 110,704 automobiles (prev.yr.: 108,515) in May. 515,989 units were sold for the year to the end of May. That represents an increase of 4.4% over the same period last year (494,417). Once again the main growth drivers were models of the BMW 1 Series which recorded sales of 22,090 vehicles (prev.yr.: 10,932 / +102.1%) in the past month; the BMW 5 Series Touring models with sales of 4,505 (+9.7% / prev.yr.: 4,105); and the BMW X5 models with 10,275 (+2.9% / prev.yr.: 9,981) units sold.

BMW X6 order-books covered until the end of the year

The new BMW X6 got off to an excellent start. It has been available in the US market since late April 2008 and also in Europe at BMW dealers and branches since the 31st May. Over the past five weeks a total of 2,652 vehicles have already been sold. In May 1,730 units were delivered to customers. The model will be released in Japan in late June and in China in August.

Ian Robertson, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Sales and Marketing: "Our order-books for the X6 are already full for the rest of 2008. The success of the X6 shows that plenty of customers were waiting for a vehicle like this. In 1999 we launched the BMW X5 as the first Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV). Since then, many of our competitors have geared themselves towards its concept of a sporty, agile on/off-roader. Now, with the BMW X6, we are once again creating a whole new vehicle segment - that of the Sports Activity Coup� (SAC). This new kind of vehicle combines the versatility of an SAV with the dynamic driving performance of a sports coup�."

MINI passes the 100,000 mark, Rolls-Royce sales up 96.4%

From its already high level a year ago, the MINI brand grew 14.2% in May to reach 22,682 units (prev.yr.: 19,863). The MINI Clubman also kept up its highly successful trend. With sales of 4,476 vehicles in the month under review it accounted for around one fifth of the brand's total sales. In the first five months of this year 20.3% more MINI were delivered to customers (102,361 / prev.yr.: 85,107).

Rolls-Royce also continues to report extremely positive growth. The leading brand for high-end luxury motor cars delivered 110 models of the Phantom family in May (prev.yr.: 56 / +96.4%). Since the start of the year Rolls-Royce has sold a total of 381 cars (prev.yr.: 221 / +72.4%).

BMW Group grows in Europe, Asia and in the Americas

In Europe 78,645 vehicles were sold in the month under review (prev.yr: 75,347 / +4.4%). Western Europe's large, established markets accounted for the biggest share, with 74,330 units (prev.yr.: 71,672 / +3.7%). Strong growth rates continued to be seen in the emerging markets of Eastern Europe. With 3,677 vehicles sold, the gain in this region amounted to 21.3% (prev.yr.: 3,031).

The American markets also were up by 3.7% (37,182 vehicles / prev.yr.: 35,866). Central and South America grew by 2.9% (1,275 / prev.yr: 1,239) and 18.8% respectively (802 / prev.yr.: 675), in the North American region 3.4% more automobiles were sold (35,105 / prev.yr.: 33,952). Despite the continuing weakness of the U.S. economy, the BMW Group achieved an increase in sales figures for the U.S. market by 3.1% to 31,781 vehicles (prev.yr: 30,819). Canada achieved growth of 6.1% in May to reach 3,324 units (prev.yr.: 3,133).

In the Asia region 6.9% more vehicles were sold last month (13,210 / prev.yr.: 12,354). At the same time, the trend in Asia's largest market, China (including Hong Kong and Taiwan), continued to be very positive with a gain of 15.9% to reach a total of 5,625 automobiles sold (prev.yr.: 4,855). In Japan, Asia's second largest market, the BMW Group sold 3,723 units. (prev.yr.: 4,611 / -19.3%).