BMW Reports Year End Sales
5 January 1998
BMW Ends Best Year Ever; Record Increases Reported Across Entire Model Line Worldwide Sales Increase Four Percent in 1997
DETROIT, Jan. 5 -- BMW of North America, Inc. today announced
year-end sales of 122,467, breaking all previous U.S. sales records. Growth
across the entire model line helped propel the brand to the new
year-end record: 8 Series sales were up 18 percent; 7 Series sales up
6 percent; 5 Series up 38 percent; 3 Series increased by 4 percent; and Z3
roadster up 31 percent.
Worldwide, BMW sales were up 4 percent over last year, for a total in
excess of 675,000 units, again confirming BMW's role as leading European
luxury automaker. The combined BMW and Rover Group sales number will be
almost 1.2 million vehicles worldwide. (Rover figures, which will exceed
500,000, will be announced Wednesday.)
Sales of BMW automobiles in the United States were up more than 16 percent
versus the 105,761 vehicles sold in 1996. BMW also reported December 1997
sales of 10,571, compared to 6,501 units in December 1996.
"Given the unique dynamics of the US market today, with passenger car
sales down precipitously and light-duty truck sales surging, we're
particularly gratified that we were able to achieve these results exclusively
through the sale of our luxury performance automobiles," commented Victor
Doolan, president of BMW of North America, Inc. "More than ever, Americans
have been responding to the responsive performance, class-leading safety and
inherent value that have long defined BMW in the US. We couldn't be happier."
"This past year, BMW was the first -- and to this day only -- company to
introduce a system designed to protect front-seat occupant's heads in
side-impact collisions. And we're committed to continued growth of the BMW
brand in '98 through such exciting plans as our expansion of the M 'high
performance' line-up of products," continued Doolan. The M brand will expand
from two to five models with the introduction of the M roadster, the M3
convertible and the M coupe.
BMW sales have increased 128 percent in the past six years, with
consistent annual increases since 1991. BMW first broke through the
100,000 unit sales ceiling in December, 1996 and did so again in October,
1997.
Total year-end figures for BMW Group will be announced at the end of
January.
BMW of North America, Inc. was established in 1975, when the company
assumed marketing and distribution responsibilities for BMW vehicles in the
U.S. from the previous private distributor. Since then, the company's North
American operations have grown to include marketing, sales and financial
services organizations in the United States and Canada; a South Carolina
manufacturing operation; a design firm in California; and various other
operations throughout the U.S. and Canada. BMW is represented in North
America through a network of more than 375 automobile and 190 motorcycle
retailers in the United States and Canada. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the
brand's North American headquarters, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.
Information about BMW products is available to consumers via the World Wide
Web on the BMW homepage. The address is: http://www.bmwusa.com.
SOURCE BMW of North America, Inc.
