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BMW Motorcycles Top 10,000 Units; Marks Best Sales Year Ever in U.S. Market

6 January 2000

BMW Motorcycles Top 10,000 Units; Marks Best Sales Year Ever in U.S. Market

    WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J.--Jan. 5, 2000--BMW of North America, Inc., the importer and distributor of BMW motorcycles in the United States, posted record sales of 10,088 units in 1999 --the most BMW motorcycles ever sold in one year for the U.S. market-- an increase of nearly 30 percent over record year-end sales figures for 1998. The strong performance in the U.S. market yielded the eighth consecutive year of record sales in the U.S., and another record year worldwide for BMW motorcycles.
    According to Edward A. Robinson, vice president of BMW of North America, Motorcycles, 1999's strong retail performance came as a result of continuing sales strength across the model line, but was punctuated by the immediate success of the benchmark setting K 1200 LT Luxury Tourer.
    "For BMW, 1999 was the year of the K 1200 LT. It was especially gratifying that the motorcycle was so well received, garnering several top awards while quickly becoming our best selling model. The symmetry created among design integrity, technical innovation and class-leading ability spells a formula for success for BMW motorcycles, well into the future," commented Robinson.
    The R 1200 C and the R 1100 RT also retained their standing among BMW's most popular selling models, both continuing to win design and enthusiast honors.
    1999 also proved to be another banner year for BMW Police Motorcycles. For the third year, the BMW R 1100 RTP was selected by the California Department of General Services for use by the California Highway Patrol (CHP). In fact, this was the State of California's first multi-year contract for police motorcycles, issuing an order for 400 units through 2001. In addition to this, 30 new agencies selected BMW in this year alone, bringing the total number of law enforcement agencies using BMW Police Motorcycles to 57.

    BMW IN AMERICA

    BMW entered the U.S. market in 1975. Since then, the company has grown to include marketing, sales and financial service organizations in the United States; a South Carolina manufacturing operation; a design firm in California; a technology office in Palo Alto and various other operations throughout the country. BMW is represented in the U.S. through a network of more than 340 automobile and 160 motorcycle retailers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the Group's headquarters for North, Central and South America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey. Information about BMW products is available to consumers via the World Wide Web on the BMW homepage. The address is: http://www.bmwusa.com.

    Journalist note: Photos and b-roll, highlighting BMW Motorcycles, are available by contacting, Jeff Ehoodin, Motorcycle Information Specialist, at (201) 307-4082; e-mail: jeff.ehoodin@bmwna.com. Information about the BMW Group and its products is available to journalists on-line at the BMW Group Press Club at the following address - www.press.bmwgroup.com.