Record first quarter for BMW
BMW UK is celebrating its best-ever first quarter for sales across the range. BMW, MINI and motorcycles have all achieved record-breaking news in March, based on new products, environmental technologies, and a successful new sales channel structure.BMW
BMW registered 22,755 BMW new vehicles in March. This is an increase of three per cent over March 2007 and represents a record for BMW new car sales in March.
BMW UK has now sold 33,326 new BMWs so far in 2008 securing a market share of almost five per cent. Year-to-date sales are up 17 per cent compared to 2007 making this the strongest first quarter ever for BMW in the UK. Retail sales saw a significant increase of 23.7 per cent, compared to 2007, to reach 16,793 sales. Over 50 per cent of all new BMWs sold in the first three months of 2008 were through the retail channels.
Tim Abbott, Sales Director BMW (UK) Ltd, commented: “I believe the widespread introduction of EfficientDynamics across the range has underpinned this exceptional sales performance. New and existing private and corporate buyers are attracted to our cars as they meet both their environmental needs and dynamic driving aspirations. In my view nobody has done more than BMW to bring low CO2 cars that are fun to drive to all new car buyers and this is reflected in our record sales.”
The sales performance was also supported by the introduction of a BMW Direct Sales strategy in January 2008. This new approach sees BMW UK managing most of its large corporate arrangements, but still allows a BMW dealer to act as an agent of BMW (UK) Ltd for corporate sales. It ensures all parties involved experience a consistent leasing and customer service experience throughout the buying process.
MINI
Not to be outdone, MINI got in on the act and recorded its best-ever sales month in March with 8,858 registrations. It knocked September 2007 off the top spot for MINI sales and represents a 12 per cent increase over March 2007.
MINI UK has now sold 12,338 new MINIs so far in 2008, with year-to-date sales up by six per cent compared to 2007. Meanwhile, to help underpin the MINI success story, production at the BMW Group plant in Oxford looks set to reach record production levels in 2008.
Andy Hearn, MINI UK’s General Manager, said: “This new record reflects the broadening MINI range which was bolstered by the arrival of the new MINI Clubman. Our new model is a huge sales success with customers, with one in every five MINIs sold in March a Clubman.”