BMW Celebrates First Quarter With Record Sales
5 April 1999
BMW Celebrates First Quarter With Record Sales; Reports Strongest March Ever With 19 Percent Increase
WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., April 2 -- BMW of North America, Inc.
outsold all international luxury passenger car competitors during the first
quarter, reporting sales of 35,808, compared to 30,939 automobiles sold during
the same period last year, an increase of 16 percent. BMW of North America
also reported its best month ever in the U.S. as sales vaulted by 19 percent
this month to 14,527 automobiles, compared to 12,239 a year ago.
Strong sales of the new BMW 3 Series sedans, the 323i and the 328i, drove
a 53 percent increase in 3 Series sales compared to March 1998. Earlier this
week, BMW introduced its new 3 Series coupes at the New York International
Auto Show. The coupes are distinguished from their sedan counterparts in
several significant ways. While sharing a family resemblance to their sedan
brethren, virtually every body panel is different. In their exterior
dimensions, the coupes are slightly longer, wider and lower than the sedans.
The new coupes go on sale in July as 2000 models with manufacturer's suggested
retail prices of $28,990 for the 323Ci and $33,990 for the 328Ci.
BMW Group combined outsold luxury competitors (when cars and SUVs
combined) for the first quarter and the month. Consolidated March sales for
the two companies jumped 25 percent to 16,983 units (BMW: 14,527; Land Rover:
2,456) and consolidated year-to-date sales increased 21 percent to 42,266
vehicles (BMW: 35,808; Land Rover: 6,458).
Land Rover North America, Inc. reported record sales, too, with impressive
March sales of 2,456 vehicles, compared to 1,341 a year ago, an increase of
83 percent. Year-to-date sales jumped 64 percent, to 6,458 vehicles. Land
Rover reported year-to-date sales of 3,932 a year ago.
BMW of North America, Inc. and Land Rover North America, Inc. are members
of the BMW Group.
BMW SALES REPORT FOR MARCH 1999
1999 1998
March 14527 12239
Year-to-Date 35808 30939
March Year-to-Date March Year-to-Date
1999 1999 1998 1998
318ti 94 252 290 862
318is 2 3 35 82
318i 4-door 43 125 481 1123
318iC 1 2 14 24
323i (E46) 2713 6748 0
323is 460 1027 382 1312
323iC 572 1374 660 1656
325is 0 0 2 2
328is 294 664 292 732
328i 4-door 55 160 1202 2700
328i (E46) 1594 3839 0 0
328iC 393 954 643 1511
M3 2-door 368 669 256 686
M3 4-door 6 39 358 1023
M3 convertible 464 1082 0 0
3 Series 7059 16938 4615 11713
Z3 1.9(US) 23 74 1039 2341
Z3 2.3(US) 1031 2665 1321 2990
Z3 2.8 Roadster (US) 542 977
Z3 2.8 Coupe (US) 118 284 0
M Roadster (US) 260 723 224 225
M Coupe (US) 70 202 0
Z3 2044 4925 2584 5556
525i 0 0 2 6
525iT 0 0 1 3
528i 2516 6532 2670 7548
528i sport wagon 243 842 0
540i sport wagon 63 198 0
540i (E39) 673 1794 602 1624
M5 0 0 0
5 Series 3495 9366 3275 9181
740i 471 1304 589 1495
740iL 1379 3094 1086 2718
75OiL 79 180 88 271
7 Series 1929 4578 1763 4484
840CiA 0 1 1 4
850CSi 0 0 1 1
8 Series 1 2 5
LAND ROVER SALES REPORT FOR MARCH 1999
1999 1998
March 2456 1341
Year-to-Date 6458 3932
March Year-to-Date March Year-to-Date
1999 1999 1998 1998
Range Rover 487 1,714 515 1635
Discovery 1,969 4744 806 2200
Defender 0 0 20 97
NOTE: Range Rover sales include 4.6 HSE and 4.0 SE; Discovery sales
include Discovery and Discovery Series II.