In the first quarter, sales in Germany increased by 6.7% to 64,230 (prev.yr.: 60,199). In the USA, the BMW Group sold 68.529 vehicles (prev.yr.: 75.433/-9,2%). Despite the current market conditions there, the US market remained the largest for the BMW Group. The company is expecting the US launch of new models such as the BMW 1 Series Coupé and Cabrio, the BMW X6 and the diesel variants of the BMW 3 Series and X5 to boost sales further in the second half of the year.

Alongside Germany, the other European markets also consistently showed positive sales growth in the first quarter of 2008. In Portugal, for example, with 2,860 units delivered, 29.2% more automobiles were sold than in the same quarter last year (prev.yr.: 2,214). In France, deliveries to customers rose by 23.7% to 16,752 vehicles (prev.yr.: 13,544), in Italy by 9.8% to 27,112 (prev.yr.: 24,685) and in Great Britain/Ireland by 6.9% to 45,210 vehicles (prev.yr.: 42,301).

Further examples of countries with growth that was well above average in the first quarter include India, with a significant increase of more than 800% to 862 units (prev.yr.: 87), Russia with plus 40.0% (4,211/prev.yr.: 3,008), China with an increase of 43.2% (14,574/prev.yr.: 10,177) and South Korea with a rise of 37.1% (2,380/prev.yr.: 1,736).

Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for sales and marketing stated today: "In terms of volume sales, we can look back on a successful first quarter, with clear increases for all our automobile brands, as planned. Amongst our relevant competitors in the premium segment, we still remain number one. We are also on course to set new records for all three brands for the year as a whole and to strengthen our leading position in the premium segment worldwide.“

March: best month ever for the BMW Group with more than 153,000 vehicles

In March 2008, the number of sales achieved by the BMW Group reached 153,184 vehicles (prev.yr.: 141,576/+8.2%). This is the best sales result that the company has ever achieved in a month.

Sales of the BMW brand rose in March by 5.3% to 126,406 units (prev.yr.: 120,072). Sales of the MINI brand also continued to develop very satisfactorily, with 26,693 MINI sold in March. This represents a 24.4% rise on the same month last year (21,454 units). Never since the market launch of this, the world's most successful premium small car, in summer 2001 have so many MINI been delivered in one month as in the month of March 2008. For the year as a whole, the company is aiming to pass the 240,000 mark in terms of the number of MINI automobiles sold.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars also continued its very positive sales development. In March, 85 (prev.yr.: 50) Phantoms were delivered to customers, which represents a 70.0% increase over the same month last year.

The motorcycles segment had 11,093 deliveries to customers in March (prev.yr. 12,466/-11.0%). In the first quarter, 21,046 motorcycles were sold (prev.yr.: 23,029/-8.6%). Negative segment developments in important European motorcycle markets such as Italy, France and Spain in March in the 500 cc respectively 750 cc plus segment contributed to the decrease in sales.

With the new 2-cyclinder Enduro models F 650 GS and the F 800 GS having been available since March, BMW Motorrad expects to achieve significantly stronger growth in the second quarter.

BMW Group sales in/up to and including March 2008 at a glance

In March 2008 comp. w. prev.yr. Up to & incl. March 2008 comp.w. prev.yr.

BMW Group Automobiles 153,184 +8.2% 351,787 +5.7%

BMW 126,406 +5.3% 293,550 +2.7%

MINI 26,693 +24.4% 58,054 +23.6%

Rolls-Royce 85 +70.0% 183 +61.9%

BMW Motorcycles 11,093 -11.0% 21,046 -8.6%

Courtesy: BMW Group, Germany