BMW Group Ends Year with Phenomenal Sales Success
4 January 2000
BMW Group Ends Year with Phenomenal Sales Success; BMW Sales Jump 18 Percent for Best Year Ever; Land Rover Sales Increase 37 Percent to All-Time Record
WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., Jan. 4 -- BMW of North America, Inc.
has continued its winning streak and surpassed all previous U.S. sales
figures, reporting 1999 sales of 154,970 vehicles, an increase of 18 percent
over 131,559 vehicles sold a year ago.
BMW also reported its best December in history with sales of 13,094
vehicles, including sales of 1,311 Sports Activity Vehicles sold since BMW's
new X5 went on sale December 6. Combined with sales of 11,783 cars, BMW's
monthly sales jumped 8 percent compared to December 1998 sales of 12,161
vehicles.
Annual sales of all BMW cars were strong, including a 34 percent increase
in 3 Series sales and a 9 percent increase in 5 Series sales.
Land Rover also turned in an exceptional year-end performance, with U.S.
sales totaling 29,380 - a 37 percent increase over 1998. Discovery and Range
Rover had record-breaking years, with sales of 21,931 (+ 54 percent) and
7,449 (+ 5 percent) respectively. December sales, the strongest month ever
for the brand in the U.S., were up 40 percent to 3,307 units.
"The BMW Group enters the 21st century from a position of strength.
Having tripled sales over the last the decade, BMW has firmly established
itself as the premier luxury brand in the US today. And the Land Rover
business is stronger than ever, with sales approaching 30,000 luxury sport
utility vehicles," explained Tom Purves, chairman and CEO of BMW US Holding
Corp.
Sales of Certified Pre-owned BMW cars also continued to set records.
Year-end sales totaled 28,253, an increase of 68 percent over 1998 levels,
when BMW reported sales of 16,774 cars enrolled in its Certified Pre-owned
Vehicle program.
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 the BMW Group and its products is available to
journalists on-line at the BMW Group PressClub at the following address --
http://www.press.bmwgroup.com.
BMW Car Sales Report for December 1999
1999 1998
December 11783 12161
Year-to-Date 153658 131559
December Year-to-Date December Year-to-Date
1999 1999 1998 1998
318ti 9 656 139 3735
318is 0 13 5 171
318i 4-door 1 225 79 3496
318iC 0 4 0 57
323i (E46) 2483 29821 2573 8253
323is 1 2721 318 4700
323iC 201 5318 412 5095
323Ci (E46) 798 5066 0 0
325is -- 0 0 2
328is -- 1538 138 2283
328Ci (E46) 626 4468 0 0
328i 4-door 1 286 84 10316
328i (E46) 987 17573 1421 6183
328iC 27 2892 381 4467
M3 2-door 4 3161 197 2661
M3 4-door 0 61 29 3225
M3 convertible 30 3335 339 2876
3 Series 5168 77138 6115 57520
Z3 1.9 (US) 2 255 34 6028
Z3 2.3 (US) 923 10959 901 2700
Z3 2.8 Roadster (US) 252 4114 122 7700
Z3 2.8 Coupe (US) 27 628 69 242
M Roadster (US) 252 3328 265 3296
M Coupe (US) 89 778 82 647
Z3 1545 20062 1473 20613
525i 0 1 1 10
525iT 0 0 0 4
528i 2202 25582 2259 27453
528i sport wagon 179 4067 187 392
530i 0 1 0 3
535i 0 0 1 2
540i 0 2 2 7
540i sport wagon 63 882 68 145
540i (E39) 532 6983 879 7083
M5 443 700 0 1
5 Series 3419 38218 3397 35100
740i 541 5390 248 4978
740iL 1056 12149 826 12290
750iL 52 694 101 1041
7 Series 1649 18233 1175 18309
840CiA 0 5 1 13
850CSi 2 2 0 4
8 Series 2 7 1 17
BMW Sports Activity Vehicle (light trucks) Sales Report for December 1999
1999 1998
December 1311 0
Year-to-Date 1312 0
December Year-to-Date December Year-to-Date
1999 1999 1998 1998
X5 4.4i 1311 1312 0 0
LAND ROVER SALES REPORT FOR DECEMBER 1999
1999 1998
December 3307 2354
Year-to-Date 29380 21422
December Year-to-Date December Year-to-Date
1999 1999 1998 1998
Range Rover 968 7449 1010 7070
Discovery 2339 21931 1336 14230
Defender 0 0 8 122
NOTE: Range Rover sales include 4.6 HSE and 4.0 SE; Discovery sales
include Discovery and Discovery Series II.