Image courtesy of bimmerfest.com
2012 was BMW of North America’s best year ever in this country. All told the company sold 347,583 vehicles, including the Mini brand. BMW model sales totaled 281,460, an increase of 13.5 percent from 2011. The company finished the year with a huge surge, selling almost 40 percent more BMW vehicles in December 2012 than December 2011.
Especially popular models were the 5 Series (+10.3 percent) and the x3 crossover (+26.6 percent), both of which were redesigned in 2011. The flagship 3 Series, the newest version of which was released as a sedan only in 2012, was up 5.5 percent from 2011. BMW will probably want to improve that percentage this year as the coupe and convertible models arrive, although those cars will now be christened the 4 Series.
Graphic courtesy of bmwblog.com
As I’ve written about previously, the percentage of light trucks continues to increase as a percentage of total sales. In 2012, trucks accounted for 44.2 percent of BMW brand purchases. The very strong sales of the new F25 X3 was a big part of the sales success in 2012, and that bodes well for the newly introduced X1 this year. However, for accounting purposes BMW will be recording X1 sales in the car category.
BMW’s 2012 sales are a huge accomplishment for the company. Globally BMW (excluding Mini and Rolls-Royce) sales were up 11.6 percent. While I’m on record regarding how current BMWs don’t always speak to my type of brand enthusiast, BMW deserves a lot of credit for such success. The global car market is highly competitive, and the financial situation remains uncertain in many markets, especially in Europe. A healthy BMW benefits all owners, new or used.
In light of this success, maybe BMW’s biggest challenge isn’t Mercedes or Audi or any other car maker. An editorial in The Truth About Cars by Derek Kreindler cautions both BMW and Mercedes about the risk of losing status as a premium brand in the quest for ever increasing sales volume. The piece also provides a stinging critique of today’s consumeristic culture. It’s a good read.