BMW achieves 18% sales growth in the Middle East

Dubai: German carmaker BMW said yesterday that it recorded an 18 per cent sales increase in 2010 in the Middle East, selling a record 17,119 cars in the region.

Abu Dhabi recorded more than 39 per cent and Dubai more than 19 per cent. Saudi Arabia witnessed more than 18 per cent growth while Syria recorded more than 25 per cent and Oman over 18 per cent.

The highest volume market remained Abu Dhabi, according to the figures.

"All our importers in Abu Dhabi and Dubai are expanding their facilities due to the high demand," Leanne Blanckenberg, BMW Middle East spokeswoman, told Gulf News.

"They are investing in expanding showrooms and workshops."

BMW sales in the UAE went up by 28 per cent in 2010 over 2009, Blanckenberg said.

The best-selling model was the 7 series, with 1,709 cars sold, an increase of 30 per cent last year, followed by the X5 and X6 SUV models.

Across all 14 Middle East markets, BMW has attained its highest volume since starting operations in the region in 1994, the company said.

"Achieving 18 per cent annual growth in sales in economic times that continue to be challenging is an incredible achievement for us," said Reiner Braun, Director of Sales and Marketing for BMW Group Middle East.

"Not only have we achieved double digit growth in most Middle East markets, but we have sold more BMW cars in the region than any other premium European manufacturer."

The BMW 7 Series remained the top selling model with 4,882 cars, a 6 per cent increase in sales throughout the region.

The new BMW 5 Series was the second highest selling model with 3,292 sold, an 82 per cent increase.

Audi registers 12.5% rise

Audi, one of BMW's main competitors in the premium car segment, said it achieved a sales growth of 12.5 per cent in the Middle East in 2010 with a total of 6,300 cars sold. Karin Haferkorn, spokeswoman of Audi Middle East, said that 2,238 cars were sold in the UAE in 2010, a 16.6 per cent increase over 2009, with the Audi Q7 and Q5 and the A6 being the best selling models. Of the newly launched top-model A8, introduced in December, the company has already sold 60, Haferkorn added. Worldwide it sold 1.092 million cars in 2010, an increase of 15 per cent, its best ever year in terms of sales.

Remarkable jump

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, part of the BMW group but sold separately from the BMW and Mini brands in the UAE, said yesterday that it has achieved 171 per cent sales growth globally with 2,711 cars sold during the year. The UAE was the fourth largest market in sales behind the US, China and the UK and ahead of Japan, the company said, without breaking down the numbers. Strong growth was also seen in markets like India, Korea. "The Middle East region is one of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars' most important markets and will be key to continued growth worldwide," Rolls Royce Motor Cars CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös said.