BMW Group Middle East is confident of achieving another record year after the company posted a 19% increase in sales for the third quarter of 2013 compared with the same period last year, a spokesperson has said.
The company’s impressive year-to-date numbers demonstrate the continued growth of the region’s premium automotive industry and also highlight Middle East customers’ appetite for luxury cars.
Continuing a trend, which has seen double digit sales in the majority of its Middle Eastern markets during 2013, and a record 18,835 BMW and MINI cars sold to customers.
Across the region, the world’s most successful premium automotive brand performed well with Bahrain and Kuwait leading the charge recording increases for the first nine months of 36% and 33% respectively.
Qatar also performed strong with a 25% increase in sales, while Dubai chalked up an 18% increase; Saudi Arabia was up 15% and Abu Dhabi grew by 13% over the same period.
“Our team of professionals on the importer side of our business as well as in our regional office have worked successfully together and I’m extremely pleased to say that the results show that we are well on our way to outperforming our 2012 success,” said Joerg Breuer, managing director, BMW Group Middle East.
“With the recent launches of the BMW 4 Series Coupé, BMW 5 Series, BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo and all-new X5 we are confident we will close out 2013 with an even more impressive performance than 2012.”
The biggest seller across the product range, has continued throughout the year to be the 5 Series which aside from being the world’s best-selling vehicle in the executive saloon segment, it accounted for 4,409 cars sold and marked a 12% increase in registrations. The recent launch of the new BMW 5 Series is expected to continue to drive sales for the executive saloon.
The successful launch of the latest generation BMW 7 Series late last year has continued to flow through into the first nine months of this year and be a positive contributor to the BMW Group’s overall outlook for 2013 in the region.
With a sales increase of 24% compared to the same period in 2012, the BMW 7 Series continues to lead the luxury segment in the region delivering 3,440 cars to customers.
Even as the popular X5 sports activity vehicle was gearing up for the introduction of the third generation model, interest in the outgoing X5 remained exceptionally strong with a 4% increase in sales resulting in 3,076 cars sold across the region.
With the launch of the more luxurious, more comfortable, more spacious and more powerful vehicle, the third generation BMW X5 is poised to have an extremely successful year ahead and continue its absolute leadership positioning in the sports activity vehicle segment, the spokesperson said.
The popular 3 Series continues to maintain its position as the world’s best-selling premium car with a 68% increase in sales as more supply of the new model filters through to the region, recording 2,119 sales while the X6 sports activity coupé chalked up an impressive 1,804 sales.
Following the launch of the latest generation of both models in 2012, the BMW 3 Series and BMW X6 continue to be best-sellers and witness robust growth across the region, the spokesperson said.
MINI kicked off the year with the introduction of the seventh model to the brand’s portfolio, the all-new MINI Paceman which contributed towards the sale of 1,147 cars sold as of the third quarter 2013, an 11% sales increase.
The most popular selling model was the MINI Countryman – the first MINI with four doors with four wheel drive option – which accounted for 44% of total regional sales. Meanwhile the MINI Hatch, MINI Cabrio and MINI Coupé were also strong contributors to the brand’s on-going 2013 success.