[Jason]

BIMMERPOST NEWS

BMW Brand U.S. sales up 4% for September 2015

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BMW Group U.S. Reports September 2015 Sales

BMW brand up 4.0 percent, September record
MINI brand sales up 4.6 percent
BMW Motorcycle sales increase 25.7 percent, September record

Woodcliff Lake, NJ – October 1, 2015… Sales of BMW brand vehicles increased 4.0 percent in September for a total of 26,608 compared to 25,587 vehicles sold in September, 2014. Year-to-date, BMW brand sales are 249,956 vehicles, a 5.6 percent increase from the same period last year.

“There’s no doubt about the strength of the U.S. economy and that people continue to buy new cars as evidenced by the BMW record sales result in September,” said Ludwig Willisch, President and CEO, BMW of North America. “Going into the all-important fourth quarter, the all-new BMW 7 Series and X1 go on sale this month and our expanded production capacity here in the U.S. means greater availability of the very popular BMW Sports Activity Vehicles, especially the X3 and the X5.”

In September, notable vehicle sales included the BMW 3 Series which increased 10.6 percent to 9,145 vehicles, the BMW X3 which increased 67.8 percent to 3,033 vehicles and the BMW 5 Series which increased from 1,407 to 4,059 vehicles, compared to September a year ago.

BMW Group Sales
In total, the BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported September sales of 31,022 vehicles, an increase of 4.1 percent from the 29,806 vehicles sold in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date, BMW Group sales are 294,930 vehicles, a 6.9 percent increase from the same period last year.

MINI Brand Sales
For September, MINI USA reports 4,414 automobiles sold, an increase of 4.6 percent from the 4,219 sold in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date, MINI USA sales are 44,974 vehicles, a 14.8 percent increase from the same period last year.

BMW Pre-Owned Vehicles

• In September, BMW Certified Pre-Owned sold 8,701 vehicles, down 0.1 percent from September 2014, but with a year-to-date gain of 14.6 percent to 86,769 vehicles sold over the same period in 2014.
• Total BMW Pre-Owned sales continue to be challenged by low availability with 14,116 vehicles sold in September 2015, a 6.2 percent decrease from September 2014.
• The Total BMW Pre-Owned cars sold for the first nine months were 138,267, a 7.3 percent decrease from the same period in 2014.

MINI Pre-Owned Vehicles

• In September, sales of MINI NEXT (certified pre-owned) were 904 vehicles, up 16.3 percent over September 2014, with a year-to-date gain of 24.6 percent to 8,829 cars over the same period in 2014.
• Total MINI Pre-Owned sales set a September record with 2,140 cars, an increase of 4.4 percent from September 2014.
• Total MINI Pre-Owned sales for the first nine months were 20,345, a 19.6 percent increase from the same period in 2014.

[ZilberGrau ZHP]

Wow 4 series taking a dump- I love my 435 Gran Coupe

[two-five boy]

Why did the 5 series increase by almost 3x? Are dealers offering smoking deals?

[Labeef]

Originally Posted by two-five boy

Why did the 5 series increase by almost 3x? Are dealers offering smoking deals?

Yes.

[raysspl]

All good news

[kanvas]

Interesting chart. I see X5s EVERYWHERE in my town so I never would've expected those stats.

[Zakattack20]

Nice, keeps the 4 series a little bit fresher on the roads, until the fire sales start happening soon.

[Mord Mckee]

Are these actual sales or do they include sales to the dealers?

[Nick the Greek]

Selling units is immaterial.

Margin is king.

[Mord Mckee]

Originally Posted by Nick the Greek

Selling units is immaterial.

Margin is king.

Financially speaking yes. Reputationally speaking no.

Units symbolize market share and BMW wants, in that matter, to beat the other 2 premium brands.

[Nick the Greek]

Originally Posted by Mord Mckee

Financially speaking yes. Reputationally speaking no.

Units symbolize market share and BMW wants, in that matter, to beat the other 2 premium brands.

Reputation is nothing if you lose $100 on each unit shifted

[Mord Mckee]

Originally Posted by Nick the Greek

Reputation is nothing if you lose $100 on each unit shifted

Agree. But they would never have a negative margin. Maybe from time to time to get rid of stock for upcoming models or in the Corporate sales, but never in numbers that would compromise the overall financial achievement.

That being said, it depends also on the market size, it might be reputationally good to have a loss in a small market but ensure you're the leader compensating that with other market gains.

[Nick the Greek]

Originally Posted by Mord Mckee

Agree. But they would never have a negative margin. Maybe from time to time to get rid of stock for upcoming models or in the Corporate sales, but never in numbers that would compromise the overall financial achievement.

That being said, it depends also on the market size, it might be reputationally good to have a loss in a small market but ensure you're the leader compensating that with other market gains.

Fully agree.

Car manufacturers love market share.

Analysts ask 'how much you making'....

[German1967]

Nothing to cheer here: BMW's growth rate is behind Audi's and Mercedes'. Not to talk about the mass manufacturers that all grew double digit vs year ago.

[deletedelete]

Who cares. They make billions yet find new ways of adding as much cheap plastic into the interior as possible. Just look at every current model. The leather gear shifter boots have been replaced with plastic. The interior trim pieces have been shrunk and more textured plastic on the dash replaced it. The chair adjustments are plastic. Even the i8 is filled with plastic everywhere. Go compare to a Merc or Audi interior. BMW can't even make a sports car to compete with the R8, Vette, GTR, or even make a bespoke engine like in the Mustang but they can sell a bunch of plastic filled soul-less cars and rest on past laurels. Well done. The ultimate plastic machine.

[Nick the Greek]

Originally Posted by Twisty Fast Autobahn

Who cares. They make billions yet find new ways of adding as much cheap plastic into the interior as possible. Just look at every current model. The leather gear shifter boots have been replaced with plastic. The interior trim pieces have been shrunk and more textured plastic on the dash replaced it. The chair adjustments are plastic. Even the i8 is filled with plastic everywhere. Go compare to a Merc or Audi interior. BMW can't even make a sports car to compete with the R8, Vette, GTR, or even make a bespoke engine like in the Mustang but they can sell a bunch of plastic filled soul-less cars and rest on past laurels. Well done. The ultimate plastic machine.

Presumably you're selling yours then?

[deletedelete]

Originally Posted by Nick the Greek

Presumably you're selling yours then?

I don't have the current gen plastic filled one. I actually went shopping for a new BMW because I need an suv and that's when I noticed how awful the new models were. The X5/X6s entire center console is a big thing of plastic and the air vents were 4 different colors of hard plastic with no intelligent design to the layout at all. It was awful so while I don't want to sell my M3 I do plan on going to a different brand for my suv need.

[ZilberGrau ZHP]

Originally Posted by Nick the Greek

Reputation is nothing if you lose $100 on each unit shifted

Depends on how much interest they are making on the loan (not much these days), then brand loyalty for their NEXT vehicle (and the potential profits there) and of course parts and later on. BMW doesn't need as much market share as a smaller brand that has to fight for it- but they DO want to best Merc and Audi and sometimes that means cutting prices.

[rohitsja]

Cannot believe so many people are buying BMW's every month. I live next to a BMW dealership in NC and seems like all that people drive are newer BMW's, I assume majority of them would just be leases who turn it in every so often.

I seem to be the one stuck with an aging car lol.

[ZEEM3R]

Originally Posted by rohitsja

Cannot believe so many people are buying BMW's every month. I live next to a BMW dealership in NC and seems like all that people drive are newer BMW's, I assume majority of them would just be leases who turn it in every so often.

I seem to be the one stuck with an aging car lol.

I agree with you. I prefer my "Old" E92 M3 over the new M3 or M4 any day. I never keep leased vehicles after the contract expires but I have seriously considered keeping this one.

[Nick the Greek]

Originally Posted by ZEEM3R

I agree with you. I prefer my "Old" E92 M3 over the new M3 or M4 any day. I never keep leased vehicles after the contract expires but I have seriously considered keeping this one.

Until you drive the new M3.

Dynamically it's big progress

[Twixboy]

Originally Posted by kanvas

Interesting chart. I see X5s EVERYWHERE in my town so I never would've expected those stats.

Why not? The chart shows X5 sales are up 22% year over year and it's BMW's #2 selling model after the 3 series. That corroborates your observation.