BMW US Reports 4.2% Sales Increase For April 2018

[Jason]

BIMMERPOST NEWS

BMW US Reports 4.2% Sales Increase For April 2018

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Woodcliff Lake, NJ – May 1, 2018… Sales of BMW Group vehicles in the U.S. increased 4.2 percent in April 2018 for a total of 27,213 vehicles (BMW and MINI brands combined), compared with 26,105 vehicles sold in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date BMW Group sales in the U.S. are up 3.3 percent from the first four months of 2017.

“The evidence of spring is all around us but for a car company there’s no better sign than sales momentum as both BMW and MINI enter May with solid increases over a year ago,” said Bernhard Kuhnt, president and CEO, BMW of North America. “The BMW X models, especially X1, X3 and X5, continue to lead the way with our Sports Activity Vehicles accounting for 51% of April sales.”

BMW Brand Sales
Sales of BMW brand vehicles increased 3.8 percent in April 2018 for a total of 23,482** compared to 22,624 vehicles sold in April 2017. Year-to-date, the BMW brand is up 3.2 percent on sales of 97,317 vehicles compared to 94,306 sold in the first four months of 2017.
BMW brand sales in April 2018 were led by BMW’s lineup of Sports Activity Vehicles up 28.9% in April and 6.3% year-to-date.

MINI Brand Sales
For April, MINI USA reported 3,731 vehicles sold, an increase of 7.2 percent from the 3,481 sold in the same month a year ago. The MINI Countryman continued its strong performance this month, rising 44 percent compared to April 2017 and contributing to a 73.6 percent year-to-date increase over Countryman sales in the first four months of 2017.

BMW Group Electrified Vehicle Sales
BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) sales of electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles totaled 1,973 in April 2018, an increase of 60.9 percent from the 1,226 sold in the same month a year ago. BMW Group electrified vehicles accounted for 7.3 percent of U.S. sales in April 2018.

BMW Group currently offers seven electrified models in the U.S., including the BMW i3, BMW i8, BMW 330e, BMW 530e, BMW 740e, BMW X5 xDrive 40e and MINI Countryman plug-in-hybrid electric vehicle.

BMW Pre-Owned Vehicles
In April, BMW Certified Pre-Owned sold 10,507 vehicles, a decrease of 17.6 percent from April 2017.
Total BMW Pre-Owned sold 20,269 vehicles, a decrease of 1.6 percent from April 2017.

MINI Pre-Owned Vehicles
MINI Certified Pre-Owned sold 1,065 vehicles in April, an increase of 0.9 percent from April 2017.
Total MINI Pre-Owned sold 2,492 vehicles in April, a decrease of 15.2 percent from April 2017.

[BMW F22]

Glad to see BMW realizing that incentives sell cars.

[dkhm3]

Originally Posted by BMW F22

Glad to see BMW realizing that incentives sell cars.

for sure - i am seeing more incentives across the board with all makes.

[uniqueMR]

That's wonderful

[ah3nyc]

Now bmw sell me a m2 for 299 lease zero down and 3 years maintenance haha. Glad to hear incentives are somewhat back.

[ASAP]

Passenger cars which have been the bread and butter are still down though...

[bjcarls]

The 7 series is such a dog...surprised the 3 series was that strong, as the X5. Im seeing lots of 50i at my local dealerships.

[SteveinArizona]

I think these numbers, from all car makers, are ridiculous. If one has a bad month, almost by definition a year from that bad month the company sales look good. If one has a good month, the next year the sales will look less good.

Looking at these numbers all the rise and more is attributable to one model -- the G30.

[Bufalo]

Looks like the new X3 has done what they'd hoped, and has become the #1 volume model in their mix. April numbers, at least.

[zuckuss07]

Originally Posted by Bufalo

Looks like the new X3 has done what they'd hoped, and has become the #1 volume model in their mix. April numbers, at least.

The quality of car at that price point is incredible. The new X3 is a great platform. The M40i is amazing!

[RPM90]

Move the X1 into it's proper SUV/CUV category leaves BMW sedan can coupe sales at 13,296.

Add the X1 sale to "light trucks" and total sales are 9,328.

Sedans and coupes still the "bread and butter" of BMW sales.
And, the current 3/4 series is currently an old model, and potential buyers are waiting for the new 3.
I am one of them. My current 2016 340i lease is done in September.
The G20 won't be out until next year.
Since my 340i is my second F30, I'm out of the 3 series for a while.
If I don't go with an M240i for 2019, then I'm going with an Audi S3 or maybe even a VW Golf-R.
BMW has dragged it's feet on bringing a new 3, along with bringing a 2 series based sedan.
The X2 is interesting, but still too much of an SUV/CUV and too tall for my wants.

SUV/SAV/CUV have been great additional sales for some brands.
Amerians fascination with tall minivan looking SUVs and small CUVs have increased sales in that category.

The CUV crazy is interesting, because those vehicles are much more like tall/raised hatchbacks, which the media claims Americans don't favor.
So the manufactures take their compact car chassis and create a slightly taller hatchback with a few styling cues from an SUV and voila increased sales.

The latest craze in SUV's is styling that is much more minivan than truck.
SUV used to look more like their truck beginnings. Many looked like a pickup with a solid greenhouse added along with rear doors. Now, SUV's are based on car chassis looking more and more like minivans.
If you were to add sliding doors on the new Honda Pilot it would look a lot like a minivan.

I'm not a fan of raised sedans and compacts. I prefer a lower center of mass for better and safer handling.
I see a lot of smaller women, many younger moms, who drive these SUVs while carrying just one child who is positioned in the middle of it.
Safe? Sure. But, that child is no safer than sitting in the center position of sedan. Overall, I contend the sedan is safer because it has superior handling and control, and in general better, shorter stopping distance braking, when comparing using equivalent tires.
Still, the mass public isn't aware and doesn't care, cause they want those bigger vehicles thinking they are somehow safer.

Once the gas prices get higher, and it looks like they will continue their current rise, larger SUV sales will likely drop, as has happened in the past.

[Sea-Tac]

I heard they are sinking lots of cash into the e-versions of the 3, 5, and X line. Way more than they had expected two years ago. I guess they are ramping up for a younger market and to take on Tesla.