BMW sold nearly 7% fewer BMW brand cars last month than a year earlier as buyers stayed away from its key 5-series saloon ahead of a replacement due in July, Reuters reported.
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The news agency said BMW sold 88,450 BMW cars in March, 6.7% fewer than a year ago, although the continued popularity of the Mini meant group sales slipped just 1% to 106,950 units.
Sliding sales of the 5-series saloon, a major profit driver, combined with a blip in sales of the smaller 3-series as updated coupe and convertible variants hit the market in March, were behind the BMW brand weakness, Reuters said.
The figures put BMW behind key rival Mercedes-Benz which said last week it had sold 102,400 cars in March, only a marginal drop from the previous year with weak German demand taking the shine off stronger US sales, Reuters said.
According to Reuters, BMW group sales in the first three months of the year were up 0.5% at 261,570 units, buoyed by the Mini, while brand sales were down 7.3% at 215,770 vehicles.
BMW CEO Helmut Panke said at the group’s annual news conference earlier this month he expected core brand sales would slump 8% in the first quarter, Reuters noted.
Mini sales rose 40% in March from the previous year and were up by two thirds in the first quarter to 45,810 units, Reuters added.
