November 2008 Sales: BMW Group

[VenSeattle]

BMW Group U.S. Division Reports November Sales
Dec. 2 /PRNewswire/
Link to Article

BMW Group sales in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) down by 26.8 percent.

Company continues to outperform the market year-to-date.

WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J., Dec. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported November sales of 19,762 vehicles, a decrease of 26.8 percent over the 26,985 vehicles sold in November 2007. The BMW Group also reported a year-to-date sales volume of 281,564 vehicles, down 6.8 percent, compared to 302,079 vehicles in the same period of 2007.

BMW Brand Sales

Sales of BMW brand vehicles decreased 36.1 percent in November for a total of 15,217 compared to 23,808 reported in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date BMW brand sales were down 12.3 percent, to 231,053 vehicles compared to 263,596 vehicles sold in the same period in 2007.

"You can't force sales because in the current climate purchases are based on real need, and when there is emotional desire involved, the decision is increasingly weighted on the value proposition," said Jim O'Donnell, President of BMW of North America, LLC. "Our value proposition is well tuned with a range of leasing and retail financing options and four years free maintenance. Both of these have helped us outperform the premium market, and along with cutting our production volumes earlier in the year, we're in good shape eliminating excessive inventory."

BMW Automobile Sales

BMW's automobile sales are down 35 percent in November to 12,106 versus 18,627 in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date sales also decreased 12.6 percent, to 181,289 automobiles compared to 207,471 in the same period of 2007.

BMW Sports Activity Vehicle Sales

Sales of BMW Sports Activity Vehicles decreased by 40 percent in November to 3,111 vehicles over the 5,181 sold last November. Year-to-date, sales of BMW Sports Activity Vehicles were down 11.3 percent, to 49,764 vehicles compared to the 56,125 sold in the first eleven months of 2007.

MINI Brand Sales

MINI USA reported November sales of 4,545 automobiles, up 43.1 percent from the 3,177 cars sold in November 2007. Year-to-date, the division reported sales of 50,511 automobiles, an increase of 31.3 percent, compared to the 38,483 cars reported in the first eleven months of 2007.

"We've seen some slowing in MINI showroom traffic just the same as everyone else in the last month," said Jim McDowell, Vice-President of MINI USA. "However, we're still positive about our future sales due to the fact the recent frenzy towards more efficient transportation has introduced more consumers to our brand. This has helped us hit the milestone of 50,000 sales in November, one month sooner than we expected."

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

                         Nov. 2008  Nov. 2007   %   YTD 2008  YTD 2007     %

    BMW brand              15,217     23,808  -36.1  231,053   263,596  -12.3
      BMW passenger cars   12,106     18,627  -35.0  181,289   207,471  -12.6
      BMW light trucks      3,111      5,181  -40.0   49,764    56,125  -11.3
       (SAVs)
    MINI brand              4,545      3,177   43.1   50,511    38,483   31.3
    TOTAL Group            19,762     26,985  -26.8  281,564   302,079   -6.8

BMW Certified Pre-Owned

Sales of BMW's Certified Pre-Owned vehicles are down slightly by 2 percent, to 7,700 CPO vehicles versus 7,856 vehicles reported last November. Year-to-date, CPO sales are up 15.5 percent, to 92,781 over the 80,299 reported in the same period in 2007.

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, 83 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:

www.bmwgroupna.com
www.bmwusa.com
www.bmwmotorcycles.com
www.miniusa.com
www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com

    Sales BMW of North America, LLC, November 2008

                                                       YTD      YTD
                           Nov. 08  Nov. 07     %    Nov. 08  Nov. 07     %
    1 Series                   644        0    N/A    11,097        0    N/A
    3 Series                 6,645   11,579  -42.6%  103,974  129,549  -19.7%
    Z4 Roadster and Coupe      334      665  -49.8%    5,798    9,068  -36.1%
    5 Series                 2,927    4,617  -36.6%   42,216   47,455  -11.0%
    6 Series                   338      710  -52.4%    5,965    8,132  -26.6%
    7 Series                 1,218    1,056   15.3%   12,239   13,267   -7.7%
    BMW passenger cars      12,106   18,627  -35.0%  181,289  207,471  -12.6%

    X3                         748    1,975  -62.1%   16,662   25,864  -35.6%
    X5                       1,965    3,206  -38.7%   28,986   30,261   -4.2%
    X6                         398        0    N/A     4,116        0    N/A
    BMW light trucks (SAVs)  3,111    5,181  -40.0%   49,764   56,125  -11.3%

    BMW brand               15,217   23,808  -36.1%  231,053  263,596  -12.3%

    Cooper /S Hardtop        3,172    2,712   17.0%   34,398   31,212   10.2%
    Cooper /S Convertible       42      465  -91.0%    4,802    7,271  -34.0%
    Cooper /S Clubman        1,331        0    N/A    11,311        0    N/A
    MINI brand               4,545    3,177   43.1%   50,511   38,483   31.3%

    TOTAL BMW of North
     America, LLC           19,762   26,985  -26.8%  281,564  302,079   -6.8%

[Drew Dowdell]

3-series down 42% for November and down 19% ytd...... interesting... interesting.

[VenSeattle]

From what I remember reading, BMW is hurting particularly bad because the brand depends on leasing more than most car manufacturers (regardless of luxury or non-luxury brands.)

[Drew Dowdell]

So, poor sales at BMW are being caused by the credit and financial mess. Who ever would have thought that could happen? I wonder if it could happen to other brands too.

[A Horse With No Name]

Like I said, 2009 is going to be rough.

Oldsmoboi, you weren't kidding when you said a financial bloodletting was going to happen here in the states.

I just wish that you had been wrong.

Chris

[Drew Dowdell]

Like I said, 2009 is going to be rough.

Oldsmoboi, you weren't kidding when you said a financial bloodletting was going to happen here in the states.

I just wish that you had been wrong.

Chris

The great thing about being a cynic and pessimist is that you are consistently either right or pleasantly surprised.

We still have further to go. At least the first two quarters of 2009 are going to be epically bad.

[A Horse With No Name]

I'm scared that in 2012 things will still be bad and we will do something reactionary and stupid which will put us further in the hole.

What was that pessimist and a cynic thing again...kinda rymes with realist.

The average age of a car in the USA is almost ten years now, I think that a lot of people will keep cars that are serving them well for quite awhile. I'm also really scared that the more interesting stuff (Sosltice, G8, Mustang, et al) will get cancelled and that what will be available when the economy gets better will be a bunch of Corolla wanna bees.

It will be interesting to see what BMW does here in the states.

Chris