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BMW Posts Yet More Record Sales.
Close to 568,000 vehicles sold around the
world to end May.
BMW brand deliveries rise by 13.3% YTD.
Australian
deliveries rise 13% in May.
BMW Group enjoyed strong sales success in the first five months of 2006, with
an increase of 9.8% compared with the same period last year.
Total group sales reached a record 567,903 automobiles (prev.yr.: 517,249),
with BMW brand sales growing 13.3%
The company recorded the highest growth rate in percentage terms in the
Chinese markets: Here, sales rose by 66.1% to 17,951 automobiles (prev.yr.:
10,810). The product mix continues to be of a high quality. China, for example,
continues to be the second-largest market for the BMW 7 series. In the period to
the end of May, 3,620 7 Series cars, the flagship of the BMW brand, were
delivered in China (prev.yr.: 998/+263%).
European market sales are also rising quite dramatically in 2006. In Italy,
sales grew 16.9%, in the first five months with 43,081 automobiles delivered
(prev.yr.: 36,862). In Spain, sales rose by 15.1% to 26,142 automobiles
(prev.yr.: 22,713), while Belgium recorded a 30.6% increase to 15,929
automobiles (prev.yr.: 12,197).
In May 2006, the number of BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce cars delivered to
customers rose by 5.5% to 119,972 (prev.yr.: 113,688). The reason for the less
strong growth rate in comparison with the year-to-date figures for the BMW brand
is essentially the high base effect from the previous year. In March last year,
the new generation of the BMW brand best-seller, the 3 Series Sedan, was
launched in the market.
Sales of BMW brand vehicles rose by 13.3% year-to-date to reach 485,450
automobiles (prev.yr.: 428,537). The main growth drivers are still the BMW core
models – the 7 Series, 5 Series and 3 Series. The strongest increase was
recorded for the BMW 7 Series.
The number of 7 Series cars delivered rose by 40.4% to 20,938 automobiles
(prev.yr.: 14,917). For the 3 Series, sales rose by 38.8% or 55,822 vehicles to
207,469 units (prev.yr.: 151,647). The 5 Series posted sales of 96,404 vehicles.
This is an increase of 4.3% over the same period in the previous year (92,441).
In May, 102,515 BMW brand vehicles were delivered (prev.yr.: 96,108).
In Australia, BMW brand sales reached a new peak at 6,210, up from 5,960 over
the same period last year. In May, 1,340 BMW vehicles were delivered (prev. yr.:
1,186), a 13.3% increase.
BMW brand in Australia continues to lead the luxury market buy a substantial
margin.
Because of the building work to expand the capacity of the Oxford plant,
production has been restricted, affecting deliveries. MINI deliveries for the
year to May were also below the previous year's level (88,476) at 82,239
(-7.0%). In May 2006, 17,401 MINI were sold (prev.yr.: 17,536/-0.7%).
The Motorcycle segment showed a clear increase of 12.8% in May. The arrival
of new products had a positive effect on sales. For the year to May, sales
reached 43,635 motorcycles (prev.yr.: 45,640), down 4.4% on the previous year,
though during May 2006, the number of motorcycles delivered rose clearly by
12.8% to 12,421 units (prev.yr.: 11,012).
BMW Group sales YTD May 2006 at a glance: In May 06 comp.w. prev.yr. Up
to & incl. May 06 Comp.w. prev.yr.
BMW Group Automobiles 119,972 5.50%
567,903 9.80%
BMW 102,515 6.70% 485,450 13.30%
MINI 17,401 -0.70% 82,239
-7.00%
BMW Motorcycles 12,421 12.80% 43,635 -4.40%
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