BMW is to spend EUR500m in Spain’s components industry, up 20% from 2005, as it continues to trust the country’s “high quality” products to assemble its vehicles, a company spokesman told just-auto.
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“We are increasing our production on the back of rising sales and Spain has a very good [quality] components that we can use in our cars,” he said.
The comments came as BMW announced a 28% jump to EUR1.76bn in 2005 revenues.
Group car sales in Spain rose 28% to 47,233 units, 38,000 BMW-branded cars and 8,415 Minis; sales of the UK-built line with the iconic name rose 34% year on year.
For 2006, BMW Spain is targeting a 6% sales rise to 50,000 units.
The Spanish Mini sales rise topped many other world markets, the spokesman said, adding that Spaniards appreciate the car’s “unique” design and features.
“Mini’s acceptance in Spain has been outside the norm,” the spokesman said, He noted that BMW did nothing different (or spend any more) to market the car here than in other countries.
The older Mini (launched in Spain over 30 years ago) was also a strong seller. “Some buying is driven by nostalgic customers, but many owners are young,” the spokesman said.
BMW will also continue to develop the dealer network on which it spent EUR40m last year expanding sales floor space nation-wide to 90,000 square metres.
Ivan Castano
