[Lucky13]

I went back and looked at the group reports for North American since 2014 and these are the results.
2014- 7345 (includes some 1 series so estimate 6500)
2015- 13020
2016- 15519
2017- 11737
2018- 9208
2019- 8015
2020- 5000 estimate (covid and grand coupe introduced in shipment number)
2021- 2500 estimate (had to order one to get one)

Total- 71,500 (I assume these include Canada). Looks like a standard bell curve with a ramp up years 2-4 and then slow death.

[leftoverture]

Small numbers. Interesting that 2016 was the peak, the is the year we have.

[TAZ007]

Smaller numbers than I thought of for the world market.

[aerobod]

This is the worldwide 2-series production from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_2_Series_(F22):

2014 41,038
2015 157,144
2016 196,183
2017 181,113
2018 152,215

North America accounts for somewhere around 8% of sales of the model, although these numbers do include F87, F45 & F46, too.

[KennyFSU]

I rarely see other 235/40 in my area, way more 228s but even those are not common.

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by Lucky13

I went back and looked at the group reports for North American since 2014 and these are the results.
2014- 7345 (includes some 1 series so estimate 6500)
2015- 13020
2016- 15519
2017- 11737
2018- 9208
2019- 8015
2020- 5000 estimate (covid and grand coupe introduced in shipment number)
2021- 2500 estimate (had to order one to get one)

Total- 71,500 (I assume these include Canada). Looks like a standard bell curve with a ramp up years 2-4 and then slow death.

1) Those data don't include Canada; monthly Canadian data are included in link below, with a summary further down

2a) 2020 Total - 13,209
2b) 2021 (Jan-Jun) - 9,340
2c) This brings US total sales through 6-2021 to 87,393

Source: https://www.goodcarbadcar.net/bmw-2-...es-usa-canada/

BMW 2-SERIES CANADA SALES REPORTS – BY YEAR

2014 - 883
2015 - 1,703
2016 - 2,091
2017 - 1,929
2018 - 1,827
2019 - 1,202
2020 - 1,357
2021 - 1,177 - through June
Total 12,169

[peteyrx7]

Originally Posted by Lucky13

I went back and looked at the group reports for North American since 2014 and these are the results.
2014- 7345 (includes some 1 series so estimate 6500)
2015- 13020
2016- 15519
2017- 11737
2018- 9208
2019- 8015
2020- 5000 estimate (covid and grand coupe introduced in shipment number)
2021- 2500 estimate (had to order one to get one)

Total- 71,500 (I assume these include Canada). Looks like a standard bell curve with a ramp up years 2-4 and then slow death.

Since its introduction, the M2 (OG, LCI, Comp, and CS) are all also part of overall 2 series sales. When you back those out, 2 series sales are really quite small. That small number is then further split between coupe, vert, 2 rwd and awd variants, as well as 228, 230, m235, and m240 trims. There's literally no variant that has in excess of 10k or so in total US sales.

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by peteyrx7

Since its introduction, the M2 (OG, LCI, Comp, and CS) are all also part of overall 2 series sales. When you back those out, 2 series sales are really quite small. That small number is then further split between coupe, vert, 2 rwd and awd variants, as well as 228, 230, m235, and m240 trims. There's literally no variant that has in excess of 10k or so in total US sales.

What are the numbers for each, especially for the M2 and the 228/230 and 235/240, and what data source(s) are you using?

[Lucky13]

Wikipedia says F45 and F46 make up the vast majority of worldwide sales for 2 series so the F22 and F23 are no where near those. Even Mustang and Camaro sales suck in the US and the Camaro is DOA with no new one even in the works.
It seems strange that BMW made the 2 bigger, its closest competition in the market is basically the 4 series now. Why get a 4 when the 2 is over $10K less, same engine, same interior and interior size isn’t different enough to matter.

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by Lucky13

Why get a 4 when the 2 is over $10K less, same engine, same interior and interior size isn’t different enough to matter.

As always when it comes to understanding why consumers of readily-available consumer products choose one over the other, we'd be wise to dive deeper than the average internet click-bait hook has to offer.

My guess is that 2 Series buyers differ significantly from 4 Series buyers. True or not, I have no idea what that difference might be. For example, is it monthly payments? Maybe. Is it how you will look when you step out of your car? Maybe. Is it what the cool kids will say when they've heard what you've chosen? Maybe.

Etc...Etc...Blah...Blah...Yada...Yada...Same-o-Same-o, right.

FWIW, after two decades thinking of myself as a car guy, I gained a wonderful perspective in 1996 from a then-65-year old woman. At that time, she, a woman who could afford any motor vehicle of her choosing, was trying to decide between a Mitsubishi and a Cadillac. She wanted me to help her decide. I mean, what can ya do, right!

[marantjo]

Originally Posted by dradernh

FWIW, after two decades thinking of myself as a car guy, I gained a wonderful perspective in 1996 from a then-65-year old woman. At that time, she, a woman who could afford any motor vehicle of her choosing, was trying to decide between a Mitsubishi and a Cadillac. She wanted me to help her decide. I mean, what can ya do, right!

Well..........what did you recommend?

[TAZ007]

Originally Posted by dradernh

As always when it comes to understanding why consumers of readily-available consumer products choose one over the other, we'd be wise to dive deeper than the average internet click-bait hook has to offer.

My guess is that 2 Series buyers differ significantly from 4 Series buyers. True or not, I have no idea what that difference might be. For example, is it monthly payments? Maybe. Is it how you will look when you step out of your car? Maybe. Is it what the cool kids will say when they've heard what you've chosen? Maybe.

Etc...Etc...Blah...Blah...Yada...Yada...Same-o-Same-o, right.

FWIW, after two decades thinking of myself as a car guy, I gained a wonderful perspective in 1996 from a then-65-year old woman. At that time, she, a woman who could afford any motor vehicle of her choosing, was trying to decide between a Mitsubishi and a Cadillac. She wanted me to help her decide. I mean, what can ya do, right!

My reason for choosing the F23 M235 over the 435 Vert was alot simpler. They both used the same tuned N55, but the 435 weighed more making much less of a performance car and more of a tourer. I wanted a performance tourer and the M235 fit the bill perfectly.

[peteyrx7]

Originally Posted by dradernh

What are the numbers for each, especially for the M2 and the 228/230 and 235/240, and what data source(s) are you using?

Some of it is extrapolation and some of it has been released. Model but not trim specific data sources include goodcarbadcar.net, BMW's financial statements, as well as BMW production data news releases. Comparing overall reported data to used car availability by trim allows for some inferences, though imprecise ones.

An example of a BMW production news release is here:

https://www.bloomberg.com/press-rele...-sales-results

The manufacturer releases is where goodcarbadcar pulls data from.

You'll note that M cars are not broken out separately in BMW's official quarterly production data releases and those units are included in the corresponding model line.

My understanding from another BMW enthusiast forum, where some production data is posted upon request, is that BMW doesn't make trim level production counts available until some time after production of a model has ended. That means we won't see M2 Comp figures out for a few more months as production just ended. M2 OG figures are already out there as are those for the M2CS. A link to the M2 OG production info is here:

https://f87.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1404565


I requested and received, from a different BMW enthusiast forum, US production counts for the M235 and M235 convertible in RWD configurations and with a breakdown by transmission.

Those counts are as follows:

2014-2016 BMW M235i Coupe (1J73) - NA
4,833 sport auto
1,773 manual

2015-2016 BMW M235i Convertible (1M13) - NA
1,878 sport auto
336 manual

I didn't have the stones to ask the person for the full run down for each trim, body style, and drive line (rwd/awd) for the 2 series as there were literally 28 variants, and even more if considering engine emissions. The poor soul would have likely told me to pound sand if I did.

Since we also have pre and post LCI cars, there are:

4 M2 variants
4 228 variants
4 m235 variants
8 230 variants (4 pre LCI and 4 post)
8 M240 variants (4 pre LCI and 4 post)

Other forum members asked for information on:

the 2017 M240I, which is the pre-LCI car and therefore has been out of production for some time. That response indicated a total of 1431 cars were built for North America (US and Canada) of the 2017 BMW M240i Coupe (2G13) were built.

the 228i

2014-2016 BMW 228i Coupe (1F53) a total of 5267 North American units
2015-2016 BMW 228i Coupe Automatic (1F93) a total of 4030 North American units

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by marantjo

Well..........what did you recommend?

I didn't think either car was a wise choice and chose not to help her decide. She went with the Cadillac and got rid of it a few months later.

[TonM3]

I missed if anyone captured manual v automatic.
Really curious how rare my manual F23 is. certainly was not easy to find.

[caycep]

I feel like some of it is dealer support and marketing by both dealers and BMW. When it first came out, there was a lot of amazing marketing (maybe not dealer support tho). Videos w/ the car drifting, racing personalities, etc. Rhys Millen, etc.

But go to buy one and there'd be lucky to have any inventory in stock. Same throughout early and also later years. Last 3 years, barely a peep from BMW marketing. and I think it shows in the numbers. IT's been living purely on enthusiast life support and the odd youtube video

[Sportstick]

Originally Posted by caycep

I feel like some of it is dealer support and marketing by both dealers and BMW. When it first came out, there was a lot of amazing marketing (maybe not dealer support tho). Videos w/ the car drifting, racing personalities, etc. Rhys Millen, etc.

But go to buy one and there'd be lucky to have any inventory in stock. Same throughout early and also later years. Last 3 years, barely a peep from BMW marketing. and I think it shows in the numbers. IT's been living purely on enthusiast life support and the odd youtube video

Simply because of my aesthetic preferences, I've de-badged mine. At a BMW local club get-together, my car was in front of the hosting dealership and members were strolling and looking. Two of them stood and stared at mine for a while and then asked me what it was. When they heard it was a 2 Series, they were surprised. These were BMWCCA CLUB MEMBERS!

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by Sportstick

Simply because of my aesthetic preferences, I've de-badged mine. At a BMW local club get-together, my car was in front of the hosting dealership and members were strolling and looking. Two of them stood and stared at mine for a while and then asked me what it was. When they heard it was a 2 Series, they were surprised. These were BMWCCA CLUB MEMBERS!

The club is definitely a big-tent organization. People are members for any number of reasons and, I'd guess, not many are keeping up with what all BMW is selling (or has sold, esp. in recent years).

In my case, for example, the 4 Series is almost a complete black box to me. All I know about them is what I've read here when other members mention them in passing. My focus is the lightest higher-performing BMWs, and I wish my M240i was a four-door hatchback. But you can't have everything, right.

I was instructing at a BMW driving event a couple of years ago and while talking with the classroom instructor mentioned something about my car. He hadn't seen the car and asked what it was. When I said "An M240i.", he asked "What's an M240i?" I was surprised and just said "A 6-cylinder 2 Series." If I'd gone into detail, his logical response would have been "Why didn't you just buy an M2?"

Speaking of de-badging, I took a de-badged Nissan Sentra into a body shop for a minor repair back in the 80s. After the estimator had walked around the car twice looking for some indication of what it was (it was a new model at the time), he said "I give up - what is it?" That one was a big win!

[peteyrx7]

Originally Posted by TonM3

I missed if anyone captured manual v automatic.
Really curious how rare my manual F23 is. certainly was not easy to find.

I posted the info I received for 6mt production totals for both M235 coupe and M235 convertible earlier in the thread. The data for the M240 isn't available yet. F23s with manuals are extremely rare because they were only available in rwd M240 and M235.

F22 was also very rare with a manual because again it was only available with the rwd cars. You could however get a 6mt in the rwd 228 and 230. I suspect that the m240 production numbers are smaller than the M235 and that take rate for 6mt went down after the M2 launch. We'll hopefully know the answer with certainty in the coming months.

[Poochie]

Originally Posted by leftoverture

Small numbers. Interesting that 2016 was the peak, the is the year we have.

That was the same model year the M2 was release, running concurrent with the 2016 M235i and the MSRP difference was literally like $3,000 between the two vehicles.

Since the M2 was marked up severely or all the allocations where taken, most that when in to get an actual M2, just settled for a highly discounted, available M235i instead. Hence the rise in taker-rate for that model year.

By 2017, the M2 market had stabilized.