August 2008 Sales: The BMW Group

[VenSeattle]

BMW Group Reports August Sales

Sept 3rd /PRNewswire/

Link to Press Release

BMW Group US sales (BMW and MINI combined) up 1.0 percent in August

WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., Sept. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- The BMW Group in the U.S.

(BMW and MINI combined) reported August sales of 30,931 vehicles, an

increase of 1.0 percent over the 30,639 vehicles sold in August 2007. The

BMW Group also reported a year-to-date sales volume of 217,821 vehicles,

down 2.5 percent, compared to 223,341 vehicles in the same period of 2007.

BMW Brand Sales

Sales of BMW brand vehicles decreased 4.1 percent in August for a total

of 25,462 compared to 26,562 reported in the same month a year ago.

Year-to-date BMW brand sales were down 7.4 percent, to 180,889 vehicles

compared to 195,436 vehicles sold in the same period in 2007.

"In the last six months in a tough economy we have seen premium brand

sales largely supported by the Northeast region," said Jim O'Donnell,

President of BMW of North America, LLC. "In August however the Southeast

and West came back as a strong contributor to our BMW sales. A trend? Don't

know, but a good sign."

Contributing to BMW sales in August was a good balance between retail

financing and leasing.

"We are strong believers that the premium market deserves a choice of

both retail financing and leasing," said Jim O'Donnell. "We knew working

our APR programs to add a bit more value to the ownership equation would

get us a better balance with leasing. This month it's been exactly like

this."

BMW Automobile Sales

BMW's automobile sales are down 5.6 percent in August to 19,653 versus

20,825 in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date sales also decreased 7.1

percent, to 142,436 automobiles compared to 153,303 in the same period of

2007.

BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Sales

Sales of BMW Sports Activity Vehicles increased by 1.3 percent in

August to 5,809 vehicles over the 5,737 sold last August. Year-to-date,

sales of BMW Sports Activity Vehicles were down 8.7 percent, to 38,453

vehicles compared to the 42,133 sold in the first eight months of 2007.

MINI Brand Sales

MINI USA reported August sales of 5,469 automobiles, up 34.1 percent

from the 4,077 cars sold in August 2007. Year-to-date, the division

reported sales of 36,932 automobiles, an increase of 32.3 percent, compared

to the 27,905 cars reported in the first eight months of 2007.

"MINI continued to see strong demand in August and one that again

lowered our inventory even more," said Jim McDowell, Vice-President MINI

USA. "But good news is on the way as we have increased our allocation for

the remainder of the year starting in September."

McDowell noted that 75 percent of all MINI customers will likely build

their vehicles to order. "This trend shows that MINI costumers continue to

be those choosing more for lifestyle and individualization rather than just

downsizing for fuel economy."

Table: Sales BMW of North America, LLC, August 2008

                          August    August     %       YTD        YTD      %
                          2008      2007               2008      2007

    BMW brand             25,462    26,562   -4.1    180,889   195,436   -7.4
     BMW passenger cars  19,6536   20,8256   -5.6    142,433   153,303   -7.1
     BMW light trucks
     (SAVs)                5,809     5,737    1.3     38,453    42,133   -8.7
    MINI brand             5,469     4,077   34.1     36,932    27,905   32.3
    TOTAL Group           30,931    30,639    1.0    217,821   223,341   -2.5

BMW Certified Pre-Owned

Sales of BMW's Certified Pre-Owned vehicles are up 26.7 percent, to

9,453 CPO vehicles versus 7,462 vehicles reported last August.

Year-to-date, CPO sales are up 21.8 percent, to 69,437 over the 57,024

reported in the same period in 2007.

Sales BMW of North America, LLC, August 2008

                             August   August            YTD        YTD
                               08       07      %    August 08  August 07   %

    1 Series                1,190        0            8,617          0
    3 Series               10,756   12,470  -13.7%   81,967     97,041  -15.5%
    Z4 Roadster and Coupe     556    1,127  -50.7%    4,672      6,547  -28.6%
    5 Series                5,287    5,173    2.2%   32,908     33,840   -2.8%
    6 Series                  663      761  -12.9%    4,881      5,951  -18.0%
    7 Series                1,201    1,294   -7.2%    9,391      9,924   -5.4%
    BMW passenger cars     19,653   20,825   -5.6%  142,436    153,303   -7.1%
    X3                      1,963    3,181  -38.3%   13,220     20,107  -34.3%
    X5                      3,380    2,556   32.2%   22,347     22,026    1.5%
    X6                        466        0            2,886          0
    BMW light trucks (SAVs) 5,809    5,737    1.3%   38,453     42,133   -8.7%
    BMW brand              25,462   26,562   -4.1%  180,889    195,436   -7.4%
    Cooper /S Hardtop       3,631    3,233   12.3%   24,966     22,249   12.2%
    Cooper /S Convertible     505      844  -40.2%    4,545      5,656  -19.6%
    Cooper /S Clubman       1,333        0            7,421          0
    MINI brand              5,469    4,077   34.1%   36,932     27,905   32.3%
    TOTAL BMW of North
     America, LLC          30,931   30,639    1.0%  217,821    223,341   -2.5%

BMW Group In America

BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since

1975. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003.

The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales,

and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles,

including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor

Cars; DesignworksUSA, an industrial design firm in California; a technology

office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the

country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW

Group's global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing

plant for all Z4 models, X5 Sports Activity Vehicles and X6 Sports Activity

Coupes. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through

networks of 338 BMW passenger car centers, 335 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle

centers, 142 BMW motorcycle retailers, 82 MINI passenger car dealers, and

30 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group's

sales headquarters for North, Central and South America, is located in

Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

Information about BMW Group products is available to consumers via the

Internet at:

http://www.bmwgroupna.com

http://www.bmwusa.com

http://www.bmwmotorcycles.com

http://www.miniusa.com

http://www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com

Journalist note: Information about the BMW Group and its products is

available to journalists on-line at the BMW Group PressClub at the

following address: http://www.press.bmwgroup.com. Broadcast quality video footage

is available via The NewsMarket at http://www.thenewsmarket.com.

[VenSeattle]

Update - Including Rolls-Royce numbers - Source: WSJ.com

Table: Rolls-Royce, August 2008

                          August    August     %       YTD        YTD      %
                          2008      2007               2008      2007

    Rolls-Royce             16        30      -46.7    269        200   -34.5

[Satty]

Wow, Rolls almost outsold Chrysler, just like everyone else did.

MINI needs to sell more so they depreciate faster so I can justify buying a gently used one.

[A Horse With No Name]

(Enter sarcasm mode)

Dollar for dollar a rolls is probably cheaper to operate.....

(exist Sarcasm mode)

Chris

[VenSeattle]

Wow, Rolls almost outsold Chrysler, just like everyone else did.

If you think retail sales, Rolls may have outsold Chrysler since none of Rolls' sales were fleet.

[Lamar]

If you think retail sales, Rolls may have outsold Chrysler since none of Rolls' sales were fleet.

Dirty!

[smk4565]

With the new $250,000 entry-level Rolls, sales should really take off! I do like how the Rolls-Royce emblems on the wheels stay in place while the car is moving though.

The 5-series sells pretty well for a car that has been around a while and is $50-70k. The 8-series is coming back, and bringing a new V12 with it, should be interesting.

[balthazar]

Every single bmw is down YTD except a tiny uptick on the X5.

1-series clearly looks to be cannabalizing 3-series' sales.

Brand volume is totally carried by the 3- and 5-series.

[Robert Hall]

Every single bmw is down YTD except a tiny uptick on the X5.

1-series clearly looks to be cannabalizing 3-series' sales.

Brand volume is totally carried by the 3- and 5-series.

It will be interesting to see the volume in a couple of years... I've read a diesel is coming next year for the 3 and the 4 cyl versions of the 1 and 3 likely are coming also with the next 24 months...

[smk4565]

The 335d has 265 hp and 425 lb-ft of torque and 23/33 mpg, that is better than CamCord 4-cylinder economy, but with Corvette level torque, so it should be quite good. The 335d and 535d are quiet too, about 66 dBA inside, which is Lexus LS460 territory.

And the 3 and 5 series has always carried their brand volume, for the past 25-30 years those 2 cars have been considered best in their segment. Worldwide they are selling 1.3 million or so vehicles, they're doing fine and will continue to do so.

[balthazar]

3-series outsells all other bmw-branded vehicles combined, yet it is down 16% vs. last year.

1-series will undoubtedly steal more & more 3-series sales, esp with duplicate engines & amenities.

6-series is a sales dud.

'80s & '70s 3-series were not considered the best in their fields; 3-series ran completely unchanged from '76 thru at least '83. Comments from then "Not at the top of the class in ride, handling or interior room... tricky rear suspension looses grip in hard corners... particularly in the rain. Ride.. becomes turbulent on broken tarmac & long-wave undulations. Interior furnishings will seem too workmanlike for some, and the firm seats border on being hard. A bit dated in some ways, but wearing well. A smaller successor is a couple of years away."

{Only 26!}

[Robert Hall]

3-series outsells all other bmw-branded vehicles combined, yet it is down 16% vs. last year.

1-series will undoubtedly steal more & more 3-series sales, esp with duplicate engines & amenities.

6-series is a sales dud.

'80s & '70s 3-series were not considered the best in their fields; 3-series ran completely unchanged from '76 thru at least '83. Comments from then "Not at the top of the class in ride, handling or interior room... tricky rear suspension looses grip in hard corners... particularly in the rain. Ride.. becomes turbulent on broken tarmac & long-wave undulations. Interior furnishings will seem too workmanlike for some, and the firm seats border on being hard. A bit dated in some ways, but wearing well. A smaller successor is a couple of years away."

{Only 26!}

Yes, the E21 had a long run--'75-83 (from '77 in the US), replaced the 2002, was available in 2dr form only. I vaguely remember reading Car & Driver and Road & Track road tests from then, they really liked it, IIRC. The 3-series pretty much had the compact RWD sports sedan market in the US to itself then. When I was a kid, seeing a BMW was a rarity....though by the mid '80s living in S. Florida they were all much more common.

[balthazar]

And the 3 and 5 series has always carried their brand volume, for the past 25-30 years those 2 cars have been considered best in their segment. Worldwide they are selling 1.3 million or so vehicles, they're doing fine and will continue to do so.

3- and 5-series do not sell at their levels because of perceived superiority over their competition. The vast bulk of sales volume is because BMW relies heavily on fleet sales. Worldwide, as a brand, BMW's fleet percentage is 67%. BMW has the fewest private owners of all brands in Germany (except audi).

[pow]

3- and 5-series do not sell at their levels because of perceived superiority over their competition. The vast bulk of sales volume is because BMW relies heavily on fleet sales. Worldwide, as a brand, BMW's fleet percentage is 67%. BMW has the fewest private owners of all brands in Germany (except audi).

In some parts of Europe nearly all non-exotic luxury cars are purchased as company cars, given to managers of some sort as a kind of perk. It's the only way most Europeans can afford to drive a nice expensive car.

The reason why these business users choose, say, a 320d over a Mondeo - well it may be driving dynamics, low fuel consumption, reputation for safety, styling and design, or it may very well be simple badge snobbery.

[A Horse With No Name]

A bmw 1 series would still be a coll car to own, we had one racing at the Autocross yesterday...sweet car...fun to watch it run through the cones!

Chris

[siegen]

The 335d has 265 hp and 425 lb-ft of torque and 23/33 mpg, that is better than CamCord 4-cylinder economy, but with Corvette level torque, so it should be quite good.

Corvette torque doesn't equal Corvette performance. It won't be a slow car, but I'd expect it to be a bit slower than the 335i.

And don't forget the cost difference. The 335d is probably going to start in the low/mid-40k range, if current 335i pricing is used as a base. For that money you could get a hybrid Camry, which beats that mileage at 33/34 (36MPG combined real-world average).