BMW GROUP MIDDLE East is shifting into a higher gear with its announcement of a 22 percent increase in sales for the first half of 2013 compared to the same period in 2012.
With both BMW and MINI brands going from strength to strength, BMW Group Middle East delivered a record breaking 12,657 vehicles to customers across 13 Middle East markets. Based on these outstanding figures, the “world's most successful premium automotive manufacturer” is gearing up for yet another successful year in the region.
The UAE remained the highest volume selling market in the Middle East, accounting for 49 percent of BMW and MINI regional sales in the first half of the year, followed by Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar. Markets which showed strong individual sales increases included Kuwait, which grew 47 percent, Bahrain 44 percent, Qatar 27 percent, Dubai 23 percent and Jordan 20 percent.
“BMW Group Middle East is on track for yet another successful record year after confirming record breaking sales figures during the first six months of the year,” said Joerg Breuer, MD, BMW Group Middle East. “Together with our importer partners, we have continued to invest in several areas of our business to elevate the customer's brand experience even further.”
Top end BMW models continue to drive growth. The company's impressive first half year numbers demonstrate the continued growth of the region’s premium automotive industry, and also highlight Middle East customers’ appetite for luxury vehicles. The BMW 5 Series took pole position as the company’s bestselling model. Globally, over the last two years, annual sales for the BMW 5 Series — the “worlds’ best-selling vehicle in the executive saloon segment” — increased by 50 percent and in the Middle East 2,739 cars were sold in the first six months of the year, an increase of 8 percent over the same period in 2012.
Breuer said: “The BMW 7 Series continues to be a market leader in the luxury sedan segment across the region. With a combination of luxury, elegance and innovation, the model epitomises everything the luxury sedan segment stands for. The success of the launch of the latest generation BMW 7 Series late last year has continued through into the first six months of this year and we are confident that it will continue to contribute to the future of our Group’s accelerating sales.”
Other models which proved popular with the regions’ discerning customers were the BMW X6 Sports Activity Coupe and BMW 3 Series. The BMW 3 Series, the “world’s best-selling premium car” achieved an unprecedented growth of 87 percent with the delivery of 1,406 vehicles in the first half of 2013, while the BMW X6 Sports Activity Coupe had 11 percent growth with 1,369 vehicle sales.
MINI kicked off the year with the introduction of the seventh model to the brand's portfolio, the all-new MINI Paceman that contributed toward the sale of 773 vehicles sold in the first half of 2013, an 11 percent sales increase. The most popular model was the MINI Countryman — the first MINI with four doors with four wheel drive option — which accounted for 46 percent of regional sales. Meanwhile the MINI Hatch, MINI Cabrio and MINI Coupe were also strong contributors to the brand's first half 2013 success.
Joerg Breuer, Managing Director, BMW Group Middle East
