BMW Group delivers 127,546 vehicles in June
07.07.2009, Press Release
[*] Sales decline continues to slow from previous months
[*] MINI sales in Germany reach a new monthly high
[*] BMW sales in China and Canada at a new monthly high
Munich. The BMW Group delivered 127,546 (prev.yr. 146,136) BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brand automobiles to customers in June, in market conditions that remain difficult. This gave the company its highest monthly sales figures so far this year. The sales decrease of -12.7% was again much smaller than in previous months. The BMW Group sold 615,454 (prev.yr. 764,874) vehicles in the first half of the year. As a result, the company was able to expand its market position in the premium segment over the first six months and gain market share.
Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Sales and Marketing: “There are first indications of a slight recovery on the automobile markets. It remains to be seen whether this trend will be sustained. With 12.7%, the BMW Group saw a much smaller decline in sales volumes in June than in previous months. In the first half of the year we were able to gain market share in the global premium segment, as we had planned. With a decrease of 18% in the second quarter, we also performed better than in the first, where sales were down about 21%.”
The BMW brand recorded 105,220 sales in June – 13.4% lower than the sales level for the same month last year (121,570). MINI also reported a decrease in sales of 8.9% to 22,273 units (prev.yr. 24,452), while the Rolls-Royce brand sold 53 automobiles in June (prev.yr. 114 / -53.5%).
In the first half of the year, global sales of the BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands decreased 19.5% to 615,454 (prev.yr. 764,874) vehicles. Customer deliveries for the BMW brand were down 19.4% to 513,591 (prev.yr. 637,569) vehicles. MINI recorded a decrease of 19.9% to 101,534 units (prev.yr. 126,810). Rolls-Royce Motor Cars handed over 329 cars to customers (prev.yr. 495 / -33.5%) in the first six months of the year.
Ian Robertson: “New models like the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo and the BMW X1 will give sales a further boost in the second half of the year.”
The new BMW Z4 again proved highly popular with customers in June: A total of 3,825 Z4 Roadsters were sold worldwide (prev.yr. 1,796 / +113.0%). The BMW X6 also made gains of 7.8% to reach a total of 3,693 (prev.yr. 3,426) deliveries in the month under review. The BMW flagship also experienced strong growth: 4,357 (prev.yr. 3,630) customers around the world bought a new BMW 7 Series in June. This represents an increase of 20.0%.
As far as its markets are concerned, the BMW Group experienced strong growth in June, including in Germany. In the month under review 30,032 units (prev.yr. 26,029), or 15.4% more BMW and MINI brand vehicles, were delivered here. In particular, the BMW 1 Series (8,378 / +16.8%) and 5 Series (3,875 / +8.1%), the new BMW Z4 (1,003 / +267.4%) and the BMW 7 Series (749 / +148.0%) drove this growth. MINI even managed to grow by 45.5% in Germany in June (4,363 / prev.yr. 2,998), achieving its highest ever monthly sales figure. In the year to the end of June the BMW Group sold 136,770 (prev.yr. 149,970 / -8.8%) units in Germany.
With sales of 8,506 automobiles, China also achieved a new monthly record in June. In the month under review 44.3% more vehicles were sold than the previous year (5,893 units). A total of 37,627 (prev.yr. 30,325) BMW and MINI vehicles were delivered to customers in China (+24.1%) in the first half-year.
In addition, the BMW Group also remained on its growth track in the BRIC countries, with sales of 289 (prev.yr. 240) vehicles in India and 498 (prev.yr. 242) deliveries in Brazil in June. This represents an increase of 20.4% and 105.8% respectively. Between January and June a total of 1,747 (prev.yr. 1,563 / +11.8%) BMW and MINI vehicles were sold in India and 1,832 (prev.yr. 1,430 / +28.1%) in Brazil.
In the world’s largest automobile market, the United States, BMW and MINI were able to gain further market share in June: In total, 20,849 (prev.yr. 26,155 / -20.3%) vehicles were sold to customers last month. For the year to the end of June, 114,448 (prev.yr. 158,080 / -27.6%) BMW and MINI vehicles were delivered; and, with 93,563 (prev.yr. 131,513) sales, BMW was easily able to maintain its top position as the best-selling premium automobile brand in the U.S. The brand also set a new monthly record in Canada, where, for the first time, more than 3,000 BMW vehicles were sold in one month: 3,003 (prev.yr.. 2,943 / +2.0%) to be precise.
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Mercedes-Benz Sells 100,300 Passenger Vehicles in June, Continuing Positive Momentum of Previous Month
Jul 07, 2009
- Sales decline cut by more than half compared to May
- Vehicle inventories at the end of the second quarter below original target level
- Mercedes-Benz once again sets new record for sales in China
Stuttgart – In June, Mercedes-Benz Cars sold 111,300 Mercedes-Benz, AMG, smart, and Maybach brand vehicles (June 2008: 119,300) worldwide (minus seven percent). Despite ongoing market difficulties, a total of 100,300 Mercedes-Benz brand vehicles were delivered to customers worldwide in June (June 2008: 106,000; minus five percent). Mercedes-Benz thus continued the positive trend from the prior month, and succeeded in cutting its sales decline by more than half compared to May. This development was in part due to the successful launch of the new E-Class, which remained the global market leader in its segment in June. In addition, sales of Mercedes-Benz models recovered noticeably in many Western European markets, while also continuing to develop positively in China.
“The development of sales in June exceeded our expectations,” said Dr. Klaus Maier, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars. “By the end of the second quarter of the year we had reduced our inventory and the inventory at the dealerships to the lowest levels in years. As a result, our inventories at the end of June were even lower than our original targets. We expect to see our sales stabilize in the second half of 2009.” The contributing factors will include the introduction of the new E-Class sedan and the E-Class coupe in important markets such as the U.S. and China, the new generation of the S-Class, the launch of the E-Class station wagon, and efficient, high-volume engine variants in models like the C-Class.
Mercedes-Benz remained the market leader in Germany in the premium segment in June, with 30,100 vehicles sold, a result that matches last year´s level of sales (June 2008: 30,500). In addition to the new E-Class, positive sales development on the brand’s home market was recorded in the A-Class and B-Class segment in June, with sales increasing by 14 percent to 11,300 units (June 2008: 9,900). Worldwide deliveries in the compact segment rose eight percent to 22,900 A-Class and B-Class models (June 2008: 21,300). Sales of the smart fortwo on the German home market were also up, having increased by seven percent to 16,700 units since the beginning of the year (January – June 2008: 15,600). A total of 61,100 customers worldwide purchased the innovative two-seater since the beginning of the year (January – June 2008: 68,900; minus 11 percent).
Mercedes-Benz outperformed the market as a whole in Spain, France, and the UK in June, while boosting market shares. Deliveries in the difficult market environment in the UK were at the same level as in June 2008, totaling 7,400 vehicles. Also at the same level compared to last year were sales in Italy, where Mercedes-Benz delivered 5,000 units in June. In France, the brand posted a sales increase of two percent to 6,100 units (June 2008: 6,000).
Mercedes-Benz continued its dynamic growth in the emerging markets of China and Brazil in June. Sales in China once again reached record levels last month, increasing by 34 percent to 4,900 vehicles (June 2008: 3,700). Mercedes-Benz is the fastest-growing premium brand in China since the beginning of the year. The B-Class, which has been available in China since January, and the smart fortwo, which was launched in the country in April, are both a big hit with Chinese customers. In Brazil, sales of Mercedes-Benz models have increased by 44 percent since the beginning of the year, to 2,300 units (same period last year: 1,600 units).
