BMW Shatters Previous Year-End Sales Records
7 January 1999
BMW Shatters Previous Year-End Sales Records; All-New 3 Series Sedans Fuel Strong Sales While Increases Seen in All Model Lines
WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., Jan. 4 -- With demand for its vehicles
higher than ever, BMW of North America, Inc. has surpassed all previous U.S.
sales figures and today reported 1998 sales of 131,559, an increase of
7.4 percent over 1997 sales. The record sales reflect the successful
introduction of the all-new 3 Series this past summer but growth across all
model lines helped catapult sales to this high level. Sales of BMW's 3 Series
models were up 10 percent; 5 Series sales increased 12 percent; sales of BMW's
7 Series model's went up .2 percent while roadster sales were up 4 percent.
Worldwide, BMW sales were up 4 percent for a total of 699,266 automobiles,
compared to 672,238 in 1997. The combined BMW and Rover Group sales number is
expected to be close to 1.2 million vehicles.
BMW also reported December 1998 sales of 12,161, an increase of
15 percent, compared to 10,571 a year ago.
BMW's new 3 Series sedans went on sale in July and now more than half of
all 3 Series monthly sales are the new 323i and 328i models. The new 1999 BMW
328i was just named one of "Car and Driver's" Ten Best models and recently
made "Popular Science's" roster of Best of What's New for 1998. The new 1999
323i claimed Consumer's Digest's "Best Buy of the Year" designation.
"When you examine the luxury automobile market, BMW remains the top
international luxury marque," explained Victor Doolan, president of BMW of
North America, Inc. "Our sales growth has increased 145 percent since 1991,
distributed across all our model lines."
BMW entered the North American market in 1975. Since then, the company
has 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; a technology office in Silicon Valley; and various
other operations throughout the U.S. and Canada. BMW is represented in North
America through a network of 378 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.
BMW SALES REPORT FOR DECEMBER 1998
1998 1997
December 12161 10571
Year-to-Date 131559 122467
December Year-to-Date December Year-to-Date
1998 1998 1997 1997
318ti 139 3735 275 4622
318is 5 171 69 1298
318i 4-door 79 3495 518 6797
318i 4-door (US) 0 1 33 811
318iC 0 57 28 1629
323i (E46) 2573 8253 0 0
323is 318 4700 498 1159
323iC 412 5095 413 963
325is 0 2 0 23
328is 138 2283 320 4380
328i 4-door 84 10316 941 14023
328i 4-door (US) 0 0 2 13
328i (E46) 1421 6183 0 0
328iC 381 4467 456 8812
M3 2-door 197 2661 261 3405
M3 4-door 29 3225 354 4535
M3 convertible 339 2876 0 0
3 Series 6115 57520 4168 52470
Z3 1.9 (US) 34 6028 556 10058
Z3 2.3 (US) 901 2700 0 0
Z3 2.8 Roadster (US) 122 7700 767 9702
Z3 2.8 Coupe (US) 69 242 0 0
M Roadster (US) 265 3296 0 0
M Coupe (US) 82 647 0 0
Z3 1473 20613 1323 19760
525i 1 10 4 62
525iT 0 4 2 53
528i 2259 27453 2551 24421
528i sport wagon 187 392 0 0
530i 0 3 0 3
530iT 0 0 1 3
535i 1 2 0 0
540i 2 7 1 9
540i sport wagon 68 145 0 0
540i (E39) 879 7083 669 6796
M5 0 1 0 0
5 Series 3397 35100 3228 31347
740i 248 4978 641 5311
740iL 826 12290 1003 11925
750iL 101 1041 151 1037
7 Series 1175 18309 1795 18273
840CiA 1 13 36 487
850CSi 0 4 21 130
8 Series 1 17 57 617