German premium carmaker Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, or BMW Group (BAMXY.PK,BAMXF.PK,BMW.L) reported an 8.1 percent increase in sales for the first half of 2012, reflecting strong growth in Asia and America. Looking ahead, the company said it is on track to achieve a new sales record for 2012, with additional new models expected to bring momentum.
BMW sold 900,539 vehicles for the first six months of 2012, up from 833,391 units in the year-ago period.
The company also achieved its second highest sales volume ever in a single month, with 172,516 BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brand vehicles delivered worldwide in June 2012. This represents a 4 percent increase from 165,868 units sold in the year-ago period.
Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management, Sales and Marketing BMW, "The BMW Group achieved record sales again in June and for the first six months of the year and we have an overall record for 2012 well in our sight. There will be additional new models arriving in the coming months, which are expected to bring further momentum in the second half of the year."
In Europe, BMW sales in the first half-year edged down 0.1 percent to 437,066 vehicles. However, the company expects the BMW 3 Series Touring, which accounts for two thirds of BMW 3 Series registrations in the German home market, to bring further momentum to European markets with its launch in September.
In Asia, sales grew 25.7 percent in the half-year period to 237,875 vehicles. The increase in sales reflects strong double-digit growth in smaller markets such as Indonesia and larger markets such as Japan and China.
America saw an 8.8 percent increase in first-half sales to 194,620 units. In the U.S., BMW recorded 10.5 percent growth in sales to158,563 units. BMW expects the arrival of the new BMW 3 Series with xDrive, as well as the BMW X1 in September to give its U.S. sales a strong boost in the second half of the year.
Worldwide sales of BMW brand vehicles rose 8.3 percent in the six-month period to 747,064 units. The BMW 1 Series 5-door Hatch was one of the brand's growth drivers in the period, with 51 percent growth in sales to 89,490 units. The BMW 6 Series recorded a 222 percent increase in sales to 10,346 vehicles.
BMW noted that revised editions of the flagship BMW 7 Series and BMW X1 will be launched in many markets across the globe in July, and are expected to provide further momentum for BMW brand sales.
Worldwide sales for MINI rose 7 percent in the half-year period to 151,875 units. Sales of the Rolls-Royce super-luxury motor cars were up 0.5 percent to 1,600 units.
However, BMW Motorrad recorded a 2.3 percent decline in sales of motorcycles to 59,189 units. BMW Motorrad expects stronger growth in the second half of 2012 and aims to achieve an overall sales record for the whole year.
Husqvarna Motorcycles delivered 5,235 vehicles in the six-month period, up 48.3 percent from last year.
On Frankfurt's XETRA, BMW shares are trading at 56.88 euros, down 2.23 euros or 3.77 percent on 2.05 million shares.
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by RTT Staff Writer
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