BMW Group grows sales in first three quarters of 2018

In the first three quarters of the year, the BMW Group grew its worldwide sales by 1.3% (1,834,810 units), despite ongoing headwinds in several major sales regions. Sales in September, a month affected by intense competition in Europe, were down 0.8% (237,781) as the company continued to follow its policy of prioritising profitable growth.

“In the face of a combination of exceptional challenges, we have achieved a steady sales result,” said Pieter Nota, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Sales and Brand BMW. “The third quarter in Europe was significantly affected by market distortions caused by the introduction of the new WLTP testing procedure at the beginning of September. As we planned well ahead for the WLTP changeover, virtually all our current models are WLTP type-approved and available for delivery,” Nota continued. “One very positive aspect of our sales performance continues to be the growth in electrified vehicles. September was our best-ever single month for electrified sales and with deliveries up over 40% in the year to date, we remain well on track to achieve our target of 140,000 electrified sales by the end of the year,” Nota concluded.

September deliveries of BMW i, BMW iPerformance and MINI Electric vehicles totalled 14,559 units worldwide, an increase of 35.0% on the same month last year and the highest monthly total ever for BMW Group electrified. Sales in the year to date total 97,543 (+42.0%), once again confirming the BMW Group’s position as a leading global provider of premium electrified mobility. Since the launch of the pioneering BMW i3 in 2013, a total of more than 313,000 BMW Group electrified vehicles have now been delivered to customers. At the Paris Auto Show, the new BMW i3 (120 Ah) (combined power consumption: 13.1 kWh/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 0 g/km)* and the BMW i3s (120 Ah) (combined power consumption: 14.6 – 14.0 kWh/100 km; combined CO2 emissions: 0 g/km)* with battery capacity increased to 120Ah were revealed. Both i3 variants now offer a 30% increase in range, meaning that in everyday practical use, they have a range of 260 km**. The company is targeting total electrified sales of over half a million by 2020. By 2025, the BMW Group will have at least 25 electrified vehicles in its model line-up, 12 of which will be fully-electric vehicles.

The BMW brand was able to achieve an increase in sales in both the year to date and September, despite an exceptionally competitive environment in Europe and consumer uncertainty caused by recent changes to the tariff regime in several other major markets. A total of 200,710 (+0.8%) new BMW vehicles were delivered to customers in September, bringing the total sold in the first three quarters of the year to 1,566,216 (+1.9%). A range of models contributed to the sales increase in the year-to-date, including the BMW 5 Series (286,180 / +14.9%) and the BMW X3 (132,478 / +15.3%). Thanks to localisation of the X3 earlier this year in China and South Africa, in addition to production in the USA, the supply of this model has been significantly increased in order to meet the high customer demand worldwide.

Sales at MINI declined slightly in the first three quarters, with a total of 265,935 (-2.0%) vehicles delivered to customers worldwide. MINI deliveries in September were down 9.2% (36,731) as the brand focusses on profitability in an extremely competitive market.

Sales of Rolls-Royce motor cars in the first three quarters of 2018 were up 13.5% (2,659) year-on-year. Demand for all Rolls-Royce models, including Black Badge variants of Dawn, Ghost and Wraith, remains strong worldwide. The company is preparing for the first customer deliveries of the Rolls-Royce Cullinan, due in early 2019. The order book for this new all-terrain model is very strong, stretching well into next year.

BMW Motorrad sales remain at around the same very high level as last year. In total, 126,793 (-0.8%) customers have taken delivery of a new motorcycle or maxi-scooter in the first three quarters of the year. In September, 14,124 (+0.2%) units were sold worldwide.