BMW Group sets new sales record in June

The growth in sales recorded by the BMW Group has accelerated noticeably as of the end of the first six months of 2007. In a June monthly comparison, the company increased the number of automobiles delivered to customers by 15.1% to 150,285 (prev.yr.: 130,542). Never before in its history the world's leading manufacturer of premium vehicles has sold so many automobiles in one month.

The Chinese markets were once again characterised by above-average growth rates in June 2007 with an increase of 63.2% to 5,925 units (prev.yr.: 3,631). Russia also recorded particularly dynamic sales growth, with an increase of 77.8% to 1,502 vehicles delivered (prev.yr.: 845). But Western Europe also showed healthy growth in two digits (15.9%). Here, the BMW Group delivered 90,310 automobiles to customers in June (prev.yr.: 77,926).

For the six months to June, a total of 730,285 BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce vehicles were handed over to customers worldwide (prev.yr.: 698,482), corresponding to an increase of 4.6%.

The sale of BMW brand automobiles over the past month reached 127,747 units. This is an increase of 14.4% compared with the corresponding figure last year (111,650). An above-average rate of growth was recorded once again by the new model generations of the BMW X5, the 3 Series Coupé and the 3 Series Convertible, which have been available worldwide since the first half-year 2007.

A historic record was set by the 3 Series Convertible, of which 7,296 were sold in the month under review (prev.yr.: 2,598/+180.8%). Sales of the X5 reached 11,324 units (prev.yr.: 6,632/+70.7%), the 3 Series Coupé was delivered 9,018 times to customers (prev.yr.: 1,824/+394.4%). 3,567 of the new BMW 1 Series three-door version, which has been available since the end of May this year, were sold in June.

During the entire first six months of 2007, 622,415 BMW brand automobiles were sold (prev.yr.: 597,130/+4.2%).

The MINI brand also set a new historic record for the month. In June this year, 22,465 (prev.yr.: 18,819) of the world's most successful premium small car were sold, which is 19.4% more than in the same month last year. For the six months to June, 107,576 MINI automobiles were sold (prev.yr.: 101,065/ +6.4%).

Rolls-Royce delivered 73 Phantoms to customers in June 2007, as it did last year. In the first half year, the number of vehicles sold rose to 294  (prev.yr.: 287/+2.4%).

"In spite of a number of major model changes, we have already increased BMW Group sales by around five percent in the first half year", commented Dr Michael Ganal, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Sales and Marketing.

"Over the next few months, we want to continue to record double-digit growth. We are well on the way to increasing our sales for the whole of 2007 by a figure in the high single-digit range and setting new records for all three brands."

In the motorcycle segment, deliveries to customers in the past month reached 11,591 units (prev.yr.: 12,466/-7.0%). For the six months to June, 59,230 BMW motorcycles were delivered to customers, which is 5.6% up on the same period last year (56,103).

- Rana Jones -