BMW Group Tops Premium Car Sales Charts for 2011
Ever wondered who is South Africa’s favourite premium car brand? Have a look around you next time you’re at the traffic lights – take a guess. Probably not that easy right?
Well let me put you out of your misery. Following a record sales year for BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce internationally, the BMW Group has once again emerged as South Africa’s favourite premium car company in 2011. This is the second year in succession that products from the BMW Group are South Africa’s best-selling luxury car brands, after a best-ever year for the MINI brand and the third-best year in history for the BMW brand.
The annual combined sales figures in South Africa showed a total of 26 508 units sold in 2011, resulting in a 12.8% growth compared to 2010, and showing clear leadership in the premium segment with one in every three premium cars sold coming from the BMW Group.
“I’m delighted that the BMW Group is not only the world’s leading provider of premium products and services for individual mobility in 2011 but that one in every three premium vehicles sold in South Africa was from the BMW Group. This is the second year in a row that BMW Group vehicles have been South Africa’s most successful,” said BMW Managing Director, Bodo Donauer.
The success of the BMW Group’s sales in 2011 can be attributed to one of the youngest premium vehicle model line-ups available and robust demand for the many new vehicles the company launched in 2011.
At the same time, the MINI brand enjoyed its best-ever sales year – with the first full year of MINI Countryman sales and the launch of the MINI One.
“In 2011, the BMW brand managed to be the best-selling brand in the premium segment despite the fact that our volume seller, the BMW 3 Series Sedan, was in its run-out year.
“In March, we will officially launch the brand-new BMW 3 Series Sedan, which is undeniably the most innovative, efficient and dynamic of the competitors in this segment. I’m positive that the new car will have a significant impact on our sales successes in 2012 and beyond,” continued Donauer, who also pointed out that several other new vehicle launches will stand the BMW Group in good stead in the coming year – such as the much anticipated BMW M5, a vehicle we at Drive RSA cannot wait to get our hands on.
Miles Downard