BMW Group Sales Reach the Last Year's High Level Again
11 January 2000
BMW Group Sales Reach the Last Year's High Level Again, With 1.2 Million Vehicles Sold
Record Sales for the BMW Brand, With 750,000 Vehicles Sold;
Record Sales for the Land Rover Brand, With Around 178,000 Vehicles Sold;
Record Sales in Germany and the USA;
World Premieres for the BMW 3 Series Cabrio and the BMW X5 3.0i;
DETROIT, and MUNICH, Germany, Jan. 10 -- Deliveries to
customers of BMW, Land Rover, Rover, MG and Mini produced by the BMW Group has
again reached last year's high level of 1.2 million. Dr. Henrich Heitmann,
Member of the Board of Management, Sales and Marketing, of the BMW Group
commented: "The outstanding market success of the BMW and Land Rover brands
made this result possible. Rover sales started its trend reversal in the last
quarter of 1999."
Deliveries of BMW vehicles reached new record levels of around 751,300
vehicles, outstripping the previous year's level by around 7%. For the first
time, BMW sold more than half a million (505,000 units) 3 Series automobiles,
17% up on the previous year. Sales of the 5 Series, at 201,400 (-9%)
continued to be better than expected. The number of 7 Series automobiles
supplied continued to be high -- in the sixth year of its lifecycle -- with
43,000 cars being sold (-9%).
A new sales record was also achieved by BMW Motorcycles, with around
65,200 units sold (+ 8%). This was partly due to the very successful R 1100 GS
(enduro), R 1100 RT (tourer) and R 1100 S models, but the new luxury tourer
K 1200 LT and the Enduro R 1150 GS, launched in the autumn, also played an
important part.
At the Detroit Motor Show, the elegant 3 Series cabrio -- the fourth
variant in the new 3 Series -- will be celebrating its world premiere. It
will be launched on the market in April 2000 as the 323Ci with a 125kW/170 HP
six-cylinder in-line engine and with safety belts integrated into the front
seats. The second debutante is the X5 3.0i. In addition to the 4.4i V8
engine, this Sports Activity Vehicle also offers a completely revamped
six-cylinder in-line engine with a capacity of 3 litres and 170 kW/231 HP
(European variant).
The Rover, MG and Mini brands reached total sales of 251,200 cars (1998:
334,242 units). In the fourth quarter, sales of Rover cars increased over the
previous year's level, with the trend reversal being initiated by new models.
"The new Face of Rover" was shown in the autumn, with the presentation of the
completely redesigned Rover 25 and 45 models. Both models round off the
product program begun with the new Rover 75.
Sales of the Land Rover rose by 16% to around 178,000 -- a healthy
increase due primarily to the successful New Discovery and Freelander models.
Deliveries to customers of the Land Rover brand have doubled since 1994.
In Germany, with sales of 282,700 vehicles (1998: 280,092) for all its
brands, the BMW Group recorded an all-time high in 1999. More than 240,000
BMW automobiles entered Germany's roads last year -- once again increasing
sales compared to the previous year. At 42,600 units, the BMW Group sold the
most Rover, Land Rover, MG and Mini vehicles outside the UK in a single
market.
A new record was also established in the USA: The BMW Group increased
deliveries to customers there by 21% to around 184,350 vehicles (1998:
152,981). 154,970 BMW brand vehicles (1998: 131,559) were sold last year.
This increase of about 18% has taken sales to almost three times the 1991
level. All model series have contributed to this growth accordingly. The USA
remains by far the most important market for the BMW 7 Series saloon.
Deliveries of Land Rover vehicles in the USA rose sharply by 37% to 29,380
units (1998: 21,422 units). The Land Rover Discovery and Range Rover achieved
new records.
For the first time in the history of the American subsidiary, BMW of North
America, more than 10,000 BMW motorcycles were delivered to customers -- an
increase of 28%. The K 1200 LT luxury tourer, launched in the spring, is
already the highest selling BMW model there and has been voted "Motorcycle of
the Year". For the third year in a row, the R 1100 RT is being used as a
police motorcycle by the California Highway Patrol, the largest public
authority customer in the USA. Around 60 different authorities have followed
their example.
The BMW Group's sales in Canada have risen by around 17% to reach 10,000
vehicles for the first time (1998: 8,733). The BMW brand recorded an increase
of 17% to 9,011 cars (1998: 7,701) and Land Rover an increase of 17% to around
1,210 vehicles (1998: 1,032).
BMW Group 1999 1998 Change in %
Deliveries to customers
Automobiles 1,180,300 1,187,115 - 0.6
BMW 751,300 699,378 + 7.4
Land Rover 177,800 153,495 + 15.8
Rover (include Mini and MG) 251,200 334,242 - 24.8
Motorcycles 65,200 60,308 + 8.1
Further information (production, sales success in the markets, turnover,
employees) is given in the BMW Group Shareholders Letter, which will be
appearing at the end of January 2000.
You will find further information on the BMW Group and its products on the
Internet, at http://www.press.bmwgroup.com.