1 million BMW vehicles sold for the first time

The BMW brand passed the million mark for the first time in the company's history, with 1,023,575 automobiles sold. This is an increase of 10.3% compared with the previous year (928,151).

Demand for the MINI is also still robust three and a half years after its market launch in July 2001. Sales rose from the already high level of last year (176,465) by 4.5% to 184,357 units. As far as the Rolls-Royce brand is concerned, 792 Phantoms were delivered to customers last year (previous year: 300). This is the highest level reached by the brand in 14 years. This makes the Rolls-Royce the clear market leader in the absolute luxury class.

Dr. Helmut Panke, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, is confident about prospects for the year 2005. Today, at the North American International Auto Show (NAJAS) in Detroit, he stated: "We will continue to increase sales of the BMW Group after the record year 2004."

The USA successfully defended its top position as the largest market for the BMW Group in 2004. In the period under review, almost 300,000 (296,111) cars were sold, which is 6.9% more than in 2003 (276.869). The BMW Group's home market of Germany, with 283,559 units (plus 10.8%/prev.yr.: 255,809) came a close second, followed by the UK, with 150,895 vehicles delivered (plus 9.0%/prev.yr.: 138,440), Italy with 77,243 (plus 15.3%/prev.yr.: 66,980) and Japan, with 51,796 units (plus 6.4%/prev.yr.: 48,678).

For the BMW brand, the new models in the BMW 1 Series, the BMW X3 and the BMW 6 Series met with an extraordinary positive reception in 2004. The company has entered three new market segments with these innovations in just nine months. Since its market launch in January 2004, 92,267 BMW X3 vehicles have already been sold. 21,043 of the new BMW 6 Series were delivered to customers up to the end of the year. Of these, 12,335 were coupés and 8,708 convertibles. 39,247 of the BMW 1 Series, which has been available since September, were sold. Sales of the BMW 3 Series also developed successfully - in the last full production year, 449,670 vehicles were sold (prev. yr.: 528,358 / minus 14.9%). With the BMW 5 Series BMW Group achieved sales of 229,593 units, representing an increase of 23.8% over the previous year (185,481).

For the MINI brand, the completely positive reactions to the most important new launch, the MINI Convertible, were reflected in the sales figures. In the first half-year since the market launch in July of last year, 18,741 Convertibles were sold, which is already over 10% of total MINI sales even though it has been available for less than six months.

In the motorcycle segment, sales seen over the year, at 92,266 units, remained slightly below the high level of the previous year (92,962/ minus 0.7%).

After its product and market offensive of recent years, the BMW Group is ideally positioned to move into the future. Helmut Panke commented as follows: "Our product portfolio and our international presence are more comprehensive than ever before. We will resolutely continue to utilise further market potential available to us in the future too."

500,000th engine produced at BMW Group's UK engine plant

The 500,000th engine has come off the production line at BMW Group's Hams Hall engine plant.

The engine, a two-litre petrol engine ordered for a BMW 1 Series model, marks the fourth anniversary of the start of production at the £400 million factory in January 2001.

Hams Hall's plant director Harald Krüger said: "We are extremely proud to have reached this milestone producing half a million engines to the exacting quality standards expected by BMW customers and this is the result of the skill and commitment of all our employees. During the past four years, the Hams Hall plant has established itself as an increasingly important player in the BMW Group's international production network and the plant's contribution is set to increase with the supply of engines for BMW models and, in the future, also for the MINI."

The BMW Group will be continuing to invest in the factory to enable output to be increased and to develop the facilities for the assembly of an additional new family of four-cylinder petrol engines that will be used in future variants of the MINI.

Producing all BMW four-cylinder petrol engines for shipment to the company's assembly plants in Germany (Munich, Regensburg and Leipzig) and South Africa (Rosslyn), the plant currently employs just over 600 associates in the West Midlands and all production is exported from the UK. The engines power not only the petrol versions of the brand new 1 Series, but also many of the 3 Series vehicles driven by BMW customers around the world. The introduction in 2005 of a new generation of the BMW 3 Series will see increased demand for engines from the Hams Hall plant.

MINI One Convertible wins What Car? 2005 'Best Convertible'

More space is needed in MINI's trophy cabinet after What Car? magazine awarded the MINI One Convertible best in class at its awards ceremony in London last night.

The MINI One Convertible beat competitors such as the Peugeot 206CC and VW Beetle Cabrio to win the esteemed award.

David Motton, editor of What Car? magazine, said: "The drop-top MINI's arrival was eagerly awaited, and it didn't disappoint. The Convertible hasn't lost any of the hard-top's handling ability. With prodigious grip, responsive steering and a snappy gearshift, the MINI provides a really engaging drive. Prices are competitive against rivals, and the MINI really shines through on resale values."

The MINI One and Cooper Convertible went on sale in the Summer of 2004, with the MINI Cooper S Convertible launched two months later. An incredible 7,000 owners are now enjoying the open-top model, with the MINI Convertible leading convertible car sales in the fourth quarter of 2004*.