Straight Eight: BMW Motorrad Achieves Eighth All-time Sales High in Succession in 2018

MUNICH, Jan. 16, 2019 /CNW/ -

• Worldwide deliveries increase by 0.9% to 165,566 vehicles.
• BMW Motorrad continues on its path of growth.
• Focus on new markets and new segments and continue with model initiative.

BMW Motorrad sold more motorcycles and maxi scooters in 2018 than ever before. Compared to the strong previous year, deliveries increased by a further 0.9%. As of December 2018 a total of 165,566 vehicles (previous year 164,153 units) were delivered to customers.

Dr. Markus Schramm, Head of BMW Motorrad: "2018 was another very successful year for BMW Motorrad. We achieved a sales record for the eighth time in succession. I would like to thank our customers most sincerely for the great trust they have placed in us again in 2018."

With this next sales record, BMW Motorrad takes another great step towards reaching its planned sales target of 200,000 units in the year 2020.

Schramm says: "The 2018 sales figure shows that our motorcycle growth strategy is taking effect. This success was achieved due to the market launch of six new models as well as the powerful BMW Motorrad product portfolio. And we still have a great deal planned for the coming years. Our ongoing model initiative in the premium segment continues. We will expand our product range with emotional and innovative new products in 2019, too. We will also be increasing our involvement in motorsport significantly. In the 2019 season, the new BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team will lining up at the start with the BMW S 1000 RR at the FIM World Superbike Championship (WorldSBK)."

Strong sales in Europe and the USA.  

The good performances on the big European markets and in the US were a major cornerstone for these successful sales figures. The most important markets France (16,615 units), Italy (14,110 units), Spain (11,124 units) and the UK / IE (9,224 units) as well as the USA (13,842 units) once again recorded high-level sales figures.

With 23,824 units, Germany is the largest individual market for BMW Motorrad yet again and the company defends its position as the most successful motorcycle manufacturer on the German market, too.  

Significant growth in China, Brazil and India. 

BMW Motorrad is continuing to expand in China and Brazil, too. With 7,561 BMW motorcycles and scooters sold and a growth rate of over 35%, China together with Brazil (7,361 units / + 11%) are among the markets with the strongest growth. In India, with 2,187 units sold in 2018, the BMW Group's own sales subsidiary has successfully established the sales of BMW motorcycles on the market following the start of business in 2017.

GS models are unstoppable. 

For the first time in BMW Motorrad's history, more than 51,000 units of the R 1200/1250 GS and GS Adventure travel enduros alone were sold. With a total of around 84,500 units, the traditionally strong R Series once again confirmed its leading position in the overall range. The R nineT model variants played a significant role here in 2018.

The sports-oriented BMW S Series with the S 1000 RR Supersports Bike, the S 1000 R Power Roadster and the S 1000 XR Adventure Bike were sold 18,773 times world wide. This shows that these three models continue to be an important pillar in the wide BMW Motorrad range.  

The capacity segment below 500cc among the top five models. 

24,363 units of the G 310 R and G 310 GS models introduced in 2017, have already been delivered to customers by the end of 2018. The two agile all-rounders are thus among the "Top Five" of the top-selling models in 2018 and are very popular all over the world.

Luxury tourers in the fast lane 

Sales of the 6-cylinder models are also developing very positively. In its second year of sales, above all the K 1600 Bagger, which is tailored especially to the US market, is proof of the unbroken trend towards large-capacity, emotional touring bikes. Timo Resch, BMW Motorrad Head of Sales and Marketing: "With 8,306 units sold and a 25% increase in sales, our 6-cylinder models are among the big winners of 2018 again. The USA especially, is an important market for these models. We will continue to increase our involvement in the US in order to strengthen BMW Motorrad's position there." Resch continues: "We will respond to the special market requirements in the USA with a further highly emotional and very authentic BMW Motorrad product."

Outlook at 2019. 

BMW Motorrad presents the most powerful product portfolio of all time in 2019 and is in excellent shape all round. Timo Resch states: "We expect to see further growth in sales for our vehicles in 2019, too. We are looking forward to the positive impulses generated by our new products from the R 1250 boxer family, the much anticipated new S 1000 R as well as the F 850 GS Adventure which expands the mid-size BMW Motorrad model range." Expanding our urban mobility product range with the market launch of the two scooters C 400 X and C 400 GT will also have contribute to success in 2019.

Cross reference: Picture is available at AP Images (http://www.apimages.com) and https://www.presseportal.de/nr/28255/bild?langid=2

The BMW Group  

With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world's leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. The BMW Group production network comprises 30 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2018, the BMW Group sold over 2,490,000 passenger vehicles and more than 165,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2017 was € 10.655 billion on revenues amounting to € 98.678 billion. As of 31 December 2017, the BMW Group had a workforce of 129,932 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.

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SOURCE BMW Group

Tim Diehl-Thiele, Head of Communications BMW Motorrad, Tel.: [phone], [email protected]; Ingo Wirth, Head of Communications MINI, BMW Motorrad, Tel.: [phone], [email protected]