A total of 115,252 BMW Group cars were delivered to customers in October – a 2.0% increase over the same month last year. BMW also said October saw the first sales increase in a year for the BMW brand.
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During the period from January to October, 1,054,811 BMW Group (BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce) cars were sold, down 14% on the same period a year earlier.
The company highlighted October growth in emerging markets (China 9,558 units, +81.0%); India 343 units +55.9%); Brazil 838 units +224.8%) in October. In these markets BMW said it was able to exceed the sales volume achieved for the whole of 2008 after just ten months.
Ian Robertson, board member responsible for sales and marketing said: “We are aiming to set new sales records in China, India and Brazil in 2009.”
Commenting on the overall trend, Robertson added: “Our sales figures have been steadily recovering since April – and we were able to make gains in October as planned. We expect to see further solid growth in November and December. Our goal is to remain the world’s leading premium manufacturer once again in 2009.”
BMW Group sales were also up in the UK in October (12,991 units +34.8%) and
Spain (4,693 units +4.0%).
For the first time in a year the BMW brand achieved a slight year-on-year increase of 0.4% in October, with 95,859 sales. In the first ten months, BMW brand sales were down 14.7% on the same period last year at 873,318 units.
Ian Robertson said: “Over the next two years we will be expanding or renewing more than half of our model range: starting with the new BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo and the BMW X1, which have been on the market since 24 October. Both models are being extremely well received – orders are higher than anticipated.”
Mini brand sales were up 11.1% in October at 19,323 units, helped by a boost provided by the new Mini Convertible.
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars delivered 70 cars in October, 40.7% off last year’s pace.
“The Rolls-Royce Ghost order bank stretches well into mid 2010. We already have many customers who have either paid a deposit or signed a preliminary contract. The first vehicles will be delivered to customers by the end of this year,” said Robinson.
