Even when the demand in Europe is stagnant, BMW predicts that it will achieve “solid gains” in the second half. It had recorded a record-breaking 5% increase in July sales and a 7.6% climb over seven months. The demand from China had helped in driving sales up for BMW Group brands (which include BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce) to 135,537 units last month. In a statement last Tuesday, Ian Robertson, BMW's sales and marketing chief, said that the BMW Group was able to have a successful run in July. He added that BMW anticipates that sales will increase further in the second half of the year with the launch this month of a facelifted 7-series sedan and X1 small SUV.
In the U.S., BMW Group sales increased by 4% to 27,152 units last month and by 9.5% to 185,715 in the first seven months. Sales in China increased by 22.5% to 23,092 units for the month while it reported a 29.6% increase to 182,048 for the past seven months. Sales in Europe grew 1.5% in June but it experienced a 2.4% decline in July to 60,855 units.
From January to July 2012, sales in the region stayed the same at 497,932. In Germany, the group's sales fell by 17.9% in July to 19,041 units and by 3% to 167,900 in the first seven months. Sales worldwide of BMW-brand cars increased by 4.2% to 113,253 vehicles in July and had grown by 7.7% to 860,327 for the first seven months, motivated by the demand for the 3-series sedan, X3 SUV and 1 series and 5 series. The demand for the Mini Countryman and expansion in the U.S. and China had helped Mini to increase its global sales by 9.6% to 22,083 in June and 7.3% to 173,960 for the first seven months. [source: Automotive News - sub. required]
