BMW 2007 Annual Report Download - page 19

17
BMW Group remains best-selling premium
manufacturer
The BMW Group registered new sales volume records
in 2007 for all three brands. In total, 1,500,678 BMW,
MINI and Rolls-Royce brand cars were sold during
2007, an increase of 9.2 % compared to the previous
year.
The number of BMW brand cars sold rose by
7.7 % to 1,276,793 units. The MINI achieved a par-
ticularly encouraging increase. This brand recorded
an 18.5 % rise, with 222,875 units handed over to
customers. The Rolls-Royce brand also reported
strong volume growth (+ 25.5 %) in 2007. With
1,010 units sold, it was able to surpass the 1,000
mark for the first time.
Sales volume increases on nearly all markets
The car sales volume increase recorded by the BMW
Group in 2007 was spread over practically all mar-
kets. Particularly high growth rates were achieved in
the emerging markets of South America and Asia,
notably China.
In North America, retail sales increased by 7.9 %
to 363,966 units. In total, 336,225 vehicles were sold
in the USA, the BMW Group’s largest single market,
7.1 % more than in the previous year.
In Europe, the number of cars sold in 2007 in-
creased by 10.0 % to 898,339 units. Whereas the
German market as a whole contracted by 9 %, the
number of cars delivered by the BMW Group fell by
only 1.5 % to 280,938 units. The BMW Group sold
173,818 units in the United Kingdom, up 12.8 %
compared to the previous year. In Italy, the 100,000
mark was surpassed for the first time. The sales
volume there rose by 10.9 % with 106,992 units
sold. In Spain, the sales volume climbed by 15.6 %
to 72,853 units. The increase in France (+ 23.1 %)
was particularly sharp with a sales volume of 65,093
units. Sales also grew strongly in Poland (3,543
units/+ 65.0 %) and in Russia (14,712 units/+ 54.5 %).
A sales volume increase of 12.2 % was recorded
in Asia. In total, 159,508 vehicles were handed over
to customers in this region. Strong growth was again
recorded on the Chinese markets (China, Hong Kong,
Taiwan), with 61,195 units sold (+ 36.7 %). The 2.6 %
decrease in sales volume in Japan (60,488 units)
should be seen in the light of the 5 % contraction
of the market as a whole. In India, where the BMW
Group operates its own assembly plant since March
2007, sales were up five-fold to 1,398 units
(+ 429.5 %).
Rest of Europe
North America
Germany
United Kingdom
Asia
Other markets
Rest of Europe
North America
Germany
United Kingdom
Asia
Other markets
BMW Group Deliveries of automobiles by region and market
in 1,000 units
480
420
360
300
240
180
120
60
264.6
294.9
255.8
134.5
103.5
51.6
03 04
299.7
315.9
283.6
145.3
106.4
57.9
05
350.8
329.0
295.9
156.2
125.7
70.4
375.0
337.4
285.3
154.1
142.2
80.0
06 07
443.6
364.0
280.9
173.8
159.5
78.9
Review of Operations
BMW Group – key automobile markets 2007
as a percentage of sales volume
USA
Germany
United Kingdom
Italy
Spain
France
Japan
Other
18.7
22.4
4.3
4.9
7.1
4.0
27.0
11.6