Munich. The BMW Group has achieved
its best ever first-quarter sales with a total of 604,629 BMW, MINI
and Rolls-Royce vehicles delivered to customers, an increase of 3.0%
on last year and the first time the company has sold over 600,000
vehicles this early in the year. March 2018 was the company’s
best-ever single month for sales, with a total of 256,162 (+0.5%)
vehicles delivered. BMW Group sales in March were slightly affected by
a sandstorm, which has delayed shipping of around 5,000 cars awaiting
onward transport from the German port of Cuxhaven. As the situation at
the port is still being assessed, it is likely that the April sales
result will also be marginally affected by this incident.
“The record sales achieved in the first quarter of this year are just
the start of what I’m sure will be another successful year, with the
main impact of our current model push coming later in the year,” said
Pieter Nota, Member of the Board of Management of
BMW AG responsible for Sales and Brand BMW. “All major sales regions
achieved first-quarter growth, despite ongoing headwinds in some
significant markets. We are also pleased to see increasing customer
demand for our electrified vehicles around the world, with sales in
this rapidly growing area up 38.3% in the first three months of the
year,” Nota continued.
Those worldwide sales of 26,858 electrified BMW and
MINI vehicles confirm the BMW Group’s position as a leading global
provider of premium electrified mobility and keep the company on track
to achieve its target of delivering at least 140,000 electrified
models in 2018. First-quarter sales of BMW i, BMW iPerformance and
MINI Electric vehicles leapt 78.0% in the USA, the company’s largest
single market for electrified vehicles. With a total of 5,743 vehicles
delivered in the first three months of the year, 6.8% of all BMW Group
sales in USA were electrified. A similar proportion was achieved in
the UK Ireland, where a 23.3% increase in electrified sales
resulted in 4,148 customer deliveries. Meanwhile in Scandinavia, one
in four BMW Group vehicles delivered in the first three months of the
year was electrified.
The BMW brand achieved its best-ever first-quarter
sales result, with a total of 517,447 vehicles delivered to customers
around the world, an increase of 2.8% compared with the same period
last year. All major sales regions contributed to this growth. A range
of models contributed to growth in the year-to-date, including the BMW
1 Series (53,727 / +27.8%), the BMW X1 (77,296 / +17.0%) and the BMW 5
Series (94,733 / +13.5%), making it the best-ever first quarter for
the 5 Series.
The first quarter of the year has also been very successful for
MINI, with the brand achieving higher sales results
than ever before in the first three months (86,375 / +4.0%). “MINI has
once again achieved good growth in the first quarter of the year and
with the market launch of the refreshed MINI and MINI Convertible in
March, we’re expecting increased momentum as the year progresses,”
said Peter Schwarzenbauer, BMW AG Management Board
member responsible for MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad. “From now
on, our customers can enjoy a further improved product offering for
the core MINI models, which together account for just under two thirds
of MINI brand sales,” he continued.
Sales of Rolls-Royce motor cars in the first quarter
of 2018 were up 10.1% year‑on-year. Demand for Rolls‑Royce models
remains strong worldwide, although market conditions in the Middle
East remain unsettled. First customer deliveries of the flagship
Phantom were made in January and the pinnacle model has a strong order
book throughout the year. The company is preparing for the launch of
the recently-named Rolls-Royce Cullinan.
BMW Motorrad sales also achieved a new record in the
first quarter with a total of 35,858 (+0.6%) premium motorcycles or
maxi-scooters delivered to customers so far this year.
BMW MINI sales in the regions/markets at a glance
All three major sales regions contributed to the BMW Group’s increase
in sales, despite headwinds in some significant markets.
*Provisional registration figures
BMW Group sales in/ytd March 2018 at a glance
*BMW i, BMW iPerformance, MINI Electric
If you have any queries, please contact:
Corporate Communications
Emma Begley, Business and Finance Communications
emma.begley@bmwgroup.com, Telephone: +49 89 382 72200
Glenn Schmidt, Head of Business and Finance Communications
glenn.schmidt@bmwgroup.com,
Telephone: +49 89 382-24544
Media website: www.press.bmwgroup.com
Email: presse@bmw.de
The BMW Group
With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW
Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and
motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services.
The BMW Group production network comprises 30 production and assembly
facilities in 14 countries; the company has a global sales network in
more than 140 countries.
In 2017, the BMW Group sold over 2,463,500 passenger vehicles and
more than 164,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the
financial year 2017 was € 10.655 billion on revenues amounting to
€ 98.678 billion. As of 31 December 2017, the BMW Group had a
workforce of 129,932 employees.
The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term
thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established
ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain,
comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to
conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.
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