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BMW Announces Over 100,000 Vehicles Sold

30 October 1997

BMW Shatters 100,000-Unit Sales Ceiling In U.S.; Spartanburg Plant Produces 100,000th Z3

    WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., Oct. 30 -- BMW of North America, Inc.
today announced that it has sold more than 100,000 vehicles in the U.S.,
making it the first luxury import automaker to accomplish that milestone this
year.  This is the second consecutive year that BMW has led the segment in
sales, again confirming the company's position as the leading European luxury
automotive brand in the U.S. for the sixth consecutive year.
    "In the past six years, BMW sales have more than doubled.  And despite the
market corrections we saw earlier this week, we are bullish on another strong
sales finish in 1997," said Victor Doolan, president of BMW of North America,
Inc., the company's U.S. sales and marketing arm.  In a passenger car market
down four percent year-to-date, BMW's sales were up 17 percent through
September.  BMW will report full month-end sales for October next week.
    Contributing to BMW's success in this market and worldwide is the
popularity of its Z3 roadster, built in Spartanburg, South Carolina.  In
another BMW milestone reached today, the 100,000th Z3 rolled off the
production line.  This Saturday, the Arctic Silver right-hand-drive roadster
will be delivered to Richard Medcalf of Great Britain in a ceremony at the
plant.  Mr. Medcalf bought the 2.8 liter six-cylinder sports car for his
fiancee, Celia Knight, who will join him Saturday at the ceremony.
    To date, BMW has sold more than 31,500 Z3 roadsters in the U.S.  In
Germany, the Z3 has been one of the best selling convertibles this year, with
more than 15,300 sold.
    BMW's Spartanburg plant has been building BMW Z3 roadsters since
September, 1995.  Its first vehicle, a 3 Series, rolled of the line in 1994.
This year, BMW will export more than $1 billion in automobiles to more than
100 countries.  BMW accounts for nearly 40 percent of the roadster segment
worldwide -- 32 percent for the Z3 and the balance for the Rover-made MGF.
    "Our success continues outside the sales arena," Doolan continued.
"We finished the 1997 racing season with a clean sweep -- three
championships."  Earlier this month, BMW captured the SportsCar GTS-3
manufacturer's title.  And the BMW M3 helped propel Bill Auberlen to the
driver's title and Tom Milner's PTG team to the team championship.

    BMW in North America
    BMW of North America, Inc. was established in 1975, at which point the
company assumed marketing and distribution responsibilities of BMW vehicles in
the U.S. from the previous private distributor.  Motorcycle marketing and
distribution was added in 1980.  Since then the company's North American
operations have grown to include marketing, sales and financial services
organizations in the United States and Canada; a South Carolina manufacturing
operation; a design firm in California; and various other operations
throughout the U.S. and Canada.  BMW is represented in North America through a
network of more than 375 automobile and 190 motorcycle retailers in the United
States and Canada.  BMW (US) Holding Corp., the brand's North American
headquarters, 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 .

SOURCE  BMW of North America, Inc.