BMW Group reports 10.8% sales increase in May

BMW brand volumes up 12.3%; MINI 2.7% higher

Munich. The BMW Group continues its upward trend in sales: The company increased global sales of its three premium automobile brands, BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce, by 10.8% (120,843 / prev. yr. 109,049) in May. Deliveries for the year to the end of May climbed 13.3% to 552,864 vehicles (prev. yr. 487,914).

Ian Robertson, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Sales and Marketing: “The sales trend remains positive – we reported healthy double-digit growth once again in May. Thanks to our numerous new models, such as the BMW 5 Series and the BMW X1, we are on course to maintain our position as the world’s leading manufacturer of premium vehicles throughout 2010.”

The BMW brand sold 101,775 units (prev. yr. 90,649) worldwide last month – an increase of 12.3%. For the year to the end of May, sales were 14.1% higher than the previous year’s figure (408,377) at 466,087 vehicles. The models with the strongest growth in the month under review were the BMW 7 Series, with an increase of 33.6% (4,501 / prev. yr. 3,370), and the new BMW 5 Series Sedan, with an increase of 13.1% (13,716 / prev. yr. 12,131). The latest BMW 5 Series Touring will come onto the market in the autumn and is set to give sales a further boost, especially in Europe. The BMW 3 Series (+6.9% / 35,398), the BMW Z4 (+10.9% / 2,624) and X6 (+3,3% /3,743) models also made gains in May. Yesterday, 8 June, marked another milestone for the BMW X5, as the one millionth BMW X5 left the production plant of the US site in Spartanburg, South Carolina. This successful model, now in its second generation, has been in production since 1999 and remains the clear market leader in the premium off/on roader segment. Following its recent model overhaul, the BMW X5 is now available with new, more powerful, even more economical engines.
 
With 18,848 (prev. yr. 18,349) sales worldwide in May, MINI brand volumes were 2.7% higher. The MINI Clubman was purchased by 7.7% (3,624 / prev. yr. 3,366) more customers than in the same period last year. MINI’s traditionally best-selling Hatch versions also made gains in May. The 12,298 deliveries (prev. yr. 11,930) of this model represent an increase of 3.1%.
 
The company once again made strong gains in the emerging “BRIC” countries. China was one of the clear leaders – also among the Asian growth markets. The BMW Group sold more than twice as many BMW and MINI vehicles here than last May, with an increase of 107.3% (13,998 / prev. yr. 6,752). Strong growth was also reported in Europe’s key high-volume markets: For example, deliveries climbed 44.6% (6,251 / prev. yr. 4,323) in France; 28.1% (10,965 / prev. yr. 8,557) in U.K/Ireland; and 29.4% in Spain (3,995 / prev. yr. 3,087).

The new Rolls-Royce Ghost, which joined the model range in December of last year, continues to drive the Rolls-Royce brand’s highly dynamic growth, with 220 (prev. yr. 51) automobiles sold in May. As such, sales grew more than four fold (+331.4%) compared to the same period last year. The number of Rolls-Royce vehicles delivered to the end of May increased by 145.7% to 678 (prev. yr. 276) vehicles. Ian Robertson: “The new Ghost has been very well received by customers all over the world. With this new model, we aim to double total Rolls-Royce sales this year.”

BMW Motorrad once again achieved a substantial increase in sales in May and continues on its successful course. Despite the continuing strong decline in the global motorcycle market in the segment over 500cc, sales in May climbed 19.3% to reach a total of 12,139 (prev. yr. 10,172) units. For the year to the end of May, BMW Motorrad reported sales growth of 20.9% to 45,431 (prev. yr. 37,570) units. The lasting boom at BMW Motorrad can be attributed to its broad range of attractive products. With 3,705 (prev. yr. 2,766 / +33.9%) deliveries in May the R 1200 GS / GS Adventure model with the new Boxer engine remains the best-selling product in the BMW motorcycle portfolio. Alongside the other R Series Boxer motorcycles, the F and K Series models are also in strong demand. Sales of the S 1000 RR continue to perform well: 5,236 (in May 1,345) units of BMW’s first Supersport motorcycle have already been delivered to customers worldwide in the year to the end of May.