February brought good news for BMW of North America: U.S. sales of BMW-brand vehicles were up 4.2% in February 2018 versus a year ago, with 23,508 deliveries. This continued a positive month-to-month trend that started in the latter part of 2017.
Leading the charge was the BMW 5 Series, which has shown positive sales growth for eight months in a row; a total of 3,185 G30 BMW 5 Series sedans were delivered in February. X vehicles also provided a healthy contribution, with 10,144 units, broken down as 2,857 X1s, 3,281 X3s, and 4,006 X5s sold.
“There’s nothing like solid February numbers to warm a winter day, and the BMW momentum of the last several months continues and will increase as highly anticipated new models come to market,” said Bernhard Kuhnt, president and CEO of BMW of North America. “This month we welcome the all-new BMW X2 to our model lineup; the new X4 is also in the pipeline; and availability of the X3 continues increasing. Combine all that with the positive numbers from Mini, and the BMW Group has a lot to look forward to this year.”
Positive numbers from Mini indeed: Mini dealers moved 3,065 cars in February, up a whopping 42.3% from the 2,154 they sold in February 2017.
About 7.4% of BMW Group sales in February came from electrified vehicles as 1,936 BMW i, iPerformance, and Mini electric units went out the door. Currently, the BMW Group has pure battery-electric vehicles—the BMW i3 and i3s—and a growing range of plug-in hybrids, including the i8, 330e, 530e, 740e, X540e, and Mini Countryman SE.
Total BMW Group sales, which includes BMW and Mini, were up to 26,573 units in February, a 7.5% increase from the same time last year.
Oddly, it seems that when BMW new-car sales are down, BMW pre-owned sales are up, and vice-versa. That held true in February as BMW dealers sold 17,930 pre-owned BMWs, an 11.5% drop from February 2017.—Scott Blazey
[Photos courtesy of BMW AG.]
