BMW Group Heading for Record Year

The BMW Group has delivered 1,244,775 BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brand automobiles through the end of November this year. Compared with the same period last year (1,211,121), this is an increase of 33,654 vehicles, or 2.8%. In November 2006, the BMW Group sold 114,321 automobiles, which marks a rise of 0.3% compared with the same month last year (114,007).

Dr. Michael Ganal, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for sales and marketing: “This year, in spite of the model changes for the MINI, BMW X5 and BMW 3 Series Coupé, we have set the ambitious goal to achieve a new sales record again. We will meet this goal and thus remain the world’s leading supplier of premium automobiles.” The models directly affected by the changes represent almost a third of the total sales of the BMW Group.

The new BMW 3 Series Coupé has been on the market since September of this year. The new generations of MINI and BMW X5 have been available since November. The availability of these three models will generate a clear increase in sales for the BMW Group in December in comparison with the same month last year.

In absolute terms, Asia as a whole showed the largest increase in sales, by 14,265 to 113,874 units (previous year: 99,609). This represents a 14.3% increase. Within Asia, Mainland China is once again in the lead. The number of automobiles delivered to customers in China rose by 49.4% to 32,274 (previous year: 21,609). In terms of relative sales growth, Russia places second. The number of BMW Group deliveries to customers in this country year-to-date November 2006 rose by 40.1% to 8,673 automobiles (previous year: 6,191).

By the end of November, BMW brand sales increased by 4.9%
Turning to the BMW brand: For the year-to-date November 2006, 1,070,055 automobiles were delivered worldwide, which is 4.9% higher than the figure for last year (1,020,093). In the month of November itself, 100,834 BMW vehicles were handed over to customers. This is an increase of 2.1% compared with the same month last year (98,743).

New generation of MINI available since 18 November
The production of the second generation of the MINI in the expanded plant in Oxford is in full swing. The new model has been available in European markets since November 18. Because of the production changeover and building measures to expand capacity, the number of MINIs available over the course of the year has been limited. For this reason, sales for the year to the end of November fell by 8.6% to 174,078 vehicles (previous year: 190,408). In November, the month of the model changes, 13,397 MINI (previous year: 15,179) were sold, which is 11.7% less. With the increased availability, the company is expecting a considerable increase in sales of MINI in December.

In the year to the end of November, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars increased the number of vehicles delivered by 3.5% to 642 (previous year: 620). In November, 90 Rolls-Royce Phantoms left the dealerships (previous year: 85/+5.9%).

Motorcycle segment ahead to the end and in the month of November Motorcycle sales for the year to the end of November reached 92,605 units (previous year: 92,052), which is 0.6% up from last year. In November, sales of BMW motorcycles recorded a 15.1% rise to 6,354 units (previous year: 5,521).

Source: BMW Group Press