BMW Group sales continue to grow in April at 9.7%

More than 400,000 cars delivered to end of month

MINI reports over 600,000 deliveries since market launch

Munich. The BMW Group delivered 111,285 automobiles in April, bringing sales to 9.7% more than in the same month last year (101,417). Well above average growth in Western Europe in the month under review reflected the fact that the new BMW 3 Series saloon has been available since 5 March – here, the increase is 16.9% to 68,931 vehicles (prev.yr.: 58,959). The Chinese markets also increased clearly in April, with a growth rate of 19.4% to 2,500 automobiles sold (prev.yr.: 2,094). Sales in North America fell by 4.3% to 27,449 due to model cycle factors (prev.yr.: 28,678) – here, the volume model, the new BMW 3 Series saloon, has been available since 6 May. In the year up to and including April, the volume of vehicles sold by BMW Group increased by 8.6% to 403,521 (prev.yr.: 371,417).

Dr. Michael Ganal, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for sales and marketing: “Even now – in the initial phase of the market launch of the new BMW 3 Series saloon – it is becoming clear that this car is being very well received by the market. This supports our positive forecast: We will further consolidate our leadership position in the next few months.”

Sales of the BMW brand increased in April by 9.1% to 92,984 automobiles (prev.yr.: 85,254). For the year up to and including April, the number of cars delivered increased by 8.2% to 332,398 in comparison with the first four months of the previous year (307,341). 17,686 of the new BMW 3 Series saloon had already been sold in the period up to and including April. The BMW 1 Series, with 48,216 cars delivered in the first four months of 2005, continued to develop very well in the premium compact class. The established model series are also reflecting the leadership position of the BMW Group: 75,017 BMW 5 Series vehicles were sold in the period up to and including April. This makes this model series the clear market leader worldwide in comparison with relevant competitors. The segment share held by the BMW 5 Series is now around 25%. This means that it has risen by 10 percentage points from around 15% in the last ten years. The BMW 7 Series is also still on track for success. In the period up to and including April, for example, it clearly defended its market leadership position in its home market of Germany.

In April, dealers delivered 18,245 MINI brand vehicles to customers
(prev.yr.: 16,096/+13.4%). Less than four years after its market launch in July 2001, MINI sales up to and including April 2005 have already passed the 600,000 mark (600,862). In the fifth year of the model cycle, demand and sales are still increasing. In the first four months of 2005, 11.1% more MINIs were delivered, or 70,941 vehicles (prev.yr.: 63,870). The leading country for MINI sales remains the United Kingdom, as the home of the MINI. Here, for the period ending April 2005, 16,050 MINIs were delivered (prev.yr.: 15,248/+5.3%). This means that one in three vehicles sold by the BMW Group in the UK is a MINI.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars delivered 56 Phantoms in April (prev.yr.: 67/-16.4%). For the months up to the end of April, the figure is 182 (prev.yr.: 206/-11.7%).

In the motorcycles segment, the ongoing product offensive is continuing to drive sales up. Sales figures in April rose by 30.3% to 13,328 units (prev.yr.: 10,232). Never in its history the company has sold more vehicles in a month. For the period up to and including April, 22.9% more BMW motorcycles were sold, at 34,628 units, than in the same period last year (28,176).

BMW Group sales in/up to and including April 2005 at a glance
in April 05 comp.w. prev.yr. up to/inc. Apr.05 comp.w. prev.yr.
BMW Group Automobiles 111,285 + 9.7% 403,521 + 8.6%
BMW 92,984 + 9.1% 332,398 + 8.2%
MINI 18,245 + 13.4% 70,941 + 11.1%
Rolls-Royce 56 – 16.4% 182 – 11.7%
BMW Motorcycles 13,328 + 30.3% 34,628 + 22.9%

Source : BMW.AG