Press releases:
BMW Group reports slight increase in September sales
- 07.10.2009
- Press Release
- Robertson: further gains expected over coming months
- MINI brand grows by 9.5% in September
Munich. The BMW Group reported an increase in global sales in September. The company sold a total of 122,354 (prev. yr. 121,492) BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brand automobiles in the month under review – an increase of 0.7%. As a result the company was able to continue expanding its market position in the premium segment and capture additional market share. Ian Robertson, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Sales and Marketing: “For the first time this year we were able to increase our sales volume slightly in September. Provided there are no economic setbacks, we should continue to make gains throughout the remaining months of the year: Not least thanks to the new BMW models X1 and 5 Series Gran Turismo, which will join our model range in late October and are already being extremely well received.” Robertson added: “There is a good chance that we will end this year with a moderate decrease in sales of only 10 to 15 percent from 2008 levels, despite difficult economic conditions overall.”
The BMW brand recorded 97,545 deliveries in September – almost matching sales for the same month last year (98,744 / -1.2%). The BMW 1 Series (22,145 units / +3.0%) made gains in the month under review, and deliveries of the BMW 3 Series sedan (20,184 / +4.2%) and the BMW 3 Series Touring (8,100 / +9.3%) also increased substantially. The BMW 7 Series (4,336 / +51.1%) and the BMW Z4 Roadster (3,019 / +124.8%) reported particularly strong growth. Both models established a clear lead in their vehicle class in the key German domestic market within just a few months of their launch. The BMW 5 Series also performed well in September: Global deliveries were on previous year’s level at 14,773 units (prev. yr. 14,749 / +0.2%). Between January and the end of September a total of 777,455 BMW automobiles were sold (prev. yr. 928,230 /
-16.2%).
Global deliveries of the MINI brand climbed 9.5% to 24,759 units (prev. yr. 22,619) in the month under review. In particular, the new MINI Convertible (3,870 units / +232.2%) launched in late March and the MINI One, available in Hatch and Clubman versions (5,534 units / +60.4%), boosted sales of the premium compact car brand in September. A total of 161,638 MINI cars were delivered to customers in the year to the end of September (prev. yr. 184,915 / -12.6%).
The BMW Group’s positive sales result for September was bolstered by gains in many markets. For instance, sales increased in Europe’s major volume markets, such as the UK, (24,590 / +1.1%), France (6,817 / +3.0%), Italy (7,678 / +2.1%) and Spain (3,996 / +7.6%). In September the emerging markets of Brazil (685 / + 132.2%), India (433 / +47.3%) and China (8,131 / +35.4%) once again enjoyed the strongest growth rates. China is now the BMW Group’s fourth largest single market after Germany, the US and the UK. Growth rates in South Korea (1,050 / +36.5%), Australia (1,989 / +34.3%) and Canada (2,742 / +36.5%) were also well over 30 percent. In the US, both the BMW (+2.1%) and MINI (+9.7%) brands were able to make substantial gains against the prevailing market trend. The BMW Group delivered a total of 19,175 (prev. yr. 18,506 / +3.6%) vehicles to customers here last month.
The Rolls-Royce brand sold 50 automobiles (prev. yr. 129 / -61.2%) in the month under review; 461 (prev.yr. 827 / -44.3%) vehicles were delivered to customers around the world for the year to the end of September. Ian Robertson: “Final preparations for the launch of the new Rolls-Royce Ghost are well underway. The 2010 order intake is very encouraging.”
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September Best Sales Month for Mercedes-Benz Cars Since Start of the Year
Oct 07, 2009
- Dr. Joachim Schmidt: “We observed a positive sales trend in September. And here, the growth of the new E-Class played a particularly important role.”
- New E-Class defends its position as market leader
- S-Class leads its segment, successful launch of the new generation in China
- Mercedes-Benz Cars once again sets new sales record in China
Stuttgart – In September, Mercedes-Benz Cars sold 114,300 (September 2008: 122,200) Mercedes-Benz, AMG, smart, and Maybach brand vehicles worldwide (minus seven percent). Mercedes-Benz delivered 104,900 (September 2008: 110,700) passenger vehicles to customers (minus five percent). The smart brand sold 9,400 (September 2008: 11,500) units (minus 18 percent). With these results in September, Mercedes-Benz Cars recorded the highest sales total in any month this year. Contributing to this development were the new E-Class and the new generation S-Class, but also strong growth rates in the Asia/Pacific region, particularly in China, and a stabilization of sales in Western Europe and the United States.
“We observed a positive sales trend in September. And here, the growth rate of the new E-Class played a particularly important role,” says Dr. Joachim Schmidt, Executive Vice President Sales and Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars. Deliveries of the sedan were up 64 percent worldwide, and increased in Western Europe by 95 percent compared to the result posted in September 2008. More than 70,000 units of the new E-Class have been delivered to customers since the market launch, and in September the sedan was once again the best-selling car in its class.
“The new E-Class is outstandingly positioned in its segment,” adds Schmidt. “In Germany it is the market leader by far with a market share of about 60 percent, and in the other Western European countries it has gained a market share of around 40 percent. We intend to continue this success story with the new station wagon, which we presented at the IAA.”
The new generation of the S-Class also will provide positive momentum in the fourth quarter. The sedan was number one in its segment in September. The S 400 HYBRID is especially successful, and is ordered by about 20 percent of the customers.
A look at the markets shows that Mercedes-Benz Cars continued to achieve strong growth rates in the Asia/Pacific region, with an increase of 15 percent, and sold 17,700 (September 2008: 15,400) passenger vehicles in September, a new record. Particularly in China, Mercedes-Benz Cars continues on its successful course. With a new record of 7,000 (September 2008: 4,400) vehicles in September, the division succeeded in increasing sales by 59 percent. Mercedes-Benz is still the fastest-growing premium brand in China. In addition to the new E-Class, the successful launch of the new generation S-Class also contributed to this result: 1,600 units of the luxury sedan were sold, an increase of 12 percent. Mercedes-Benz Cars is also experiencing dynamic growth in South Korea, where deliveries almost doubled to 1,500 vehicles in September, compared to the same month last year.
Mercedes-Benz sales in Germany stabilized in September, with 28,700 (September 2008: 30,300) units delivered to customers (minus six percent). Compared to recent months, Mercedes-Benz succeeded in gaining market shares in September and defended its position as the market leader in the premium segment.
Mercedes-Benz also gained market shares in the United States in September, selling 17,000 (September 2008: 18,800) vehicles (minus ten percent). Mercedes-Benz therefore is the most successful German premium brand. Also contributing to this development, in addition to the new E-Class, was the GLK, which once again was the top-selling vehicle in its class. In Canada, Mercedes-Benz had the best September ever, with record-breaking sales of 2,200 (September 2008: 1,800) passenger vehicles, corresponding to a growth rate of 25 percent.
