[Jason]

BIMMERPOST NEWS

BMW U.S. Reports July 2018 Sales

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Woodcliff Lake, NJ – August 1, 2018… Sales of BMW brand vehicles increased 0.1 percent in July 2018 for a total of 21,982, compared to 21,965 vehicles sold in July 2017. Year-to-date, the BMW brand is up 2.5 percent on sales vehicles of 175,368 compared to 171,051 sold in the first seven months of 2017.

“The third quarter is making a good start overall for BMW Group with the BMW brand posting its ninth straight month of sales increases and our Sports Activity Vehicles once more leading the way,” said Bernhard Kuhnt, President and CEO, BMW of North America. “The much-in-demand new BMW X3 is showing its strength as U.S. availability increases while, at the same time, demand for BMW Group electrified models remains solid, accounting for slightly more than seven percent of BMW Group sales in July.”

BMW’s lineup of Sports Activity Vehicles accounted for 49.6 percent of BMW brand sales in July 2018. Most notably, the BMW X3 was the top-selling BMW model in the U.S. in the month of July 2018 and calendar year to date.

MINI Brand Sales

For July, MINI USA reported 4,296 vehicles sold, a decrease of 2.3 percent from the 4,398 sold in the same month a year ago. MINI sales in July were led by the MINI Countryman, which accounted for 40 percent of sales with 1,724 vehicles sold. Year to date, MINI sales are up 1.2 percent.

BMW Group Sales

Sales of BMW Group vehicles (BMW and MINI brands combined) in the U.S. decreased 0.3 percent in July 2018 for a total of 26,278 vehicles, compared with 26,363 vehicles sold in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date BMW Group sales in the U.S. are up 2.4 percent from the first seven months of 2017.

BMW Group Electrified Vehicle Sales

BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) sales of electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles totaled 1,859 in July 2018, a decrease of 7.2 percent from the 2,004 sold in the same month a year ago. BMW Group electrified vehicles accounted for 7.1 percent of U.S. sales in July 2018. Year to date, BMW Group sales of electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles are up 39.5 percent compared to the first seven months of 2017.

BMW Group currently offers seven electrified models in the U.S., including the BMW i3, BMW i8, BMW 330e, BMW 530e, BMW 740e, BMW X5 xDrive 40e and MINI Countryman plug-in-hybrid electric vehicle.

[JustChris]

Great figures for X3 and X4. New model is going down well. Invisibly last yea people were maybe holding back but a nice increase.

[mkoesel]

The X2 is selling briskly.

If you subtract the 3195 combined X1/X2 sales from the July passenger car total and add them to the July light truck total, that's:

11070 BMW non-SAV
10912 BMW SAV

So they've nearly reached the tipping point of more "trucks" than cars. Only 158 unit sales separate them.

On a related note, I've often wondered why BMW NA classes the small SAVs as passenger cars in their financial reports. I don't know if perhaps their EPA classification is technically passenger cars, or if BMW chooses to categorize them that way for some other reason.

[ZHPsedan]

X1 X2 more closely related to Mini brand than either their cars or light trucks...

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by ZHPsedan

X1 X2 more closely related to Mini brand than either their cars or light trucks...

Mechanically, sure. But that means little to nothing when it comes to their EPA class.

I suppose the question is, are all compact (and smaller) SUVs classified as passenger cars by the EPA? If so, that would explain why BMW does it that way too.

[uniqueMR]

BMW light trucks

[cfm56d7b]

The 6 series sales improved at least on a percentage basis. Better incentives?

X5 sales continue to maintain pace. No surprise. It's a fantastic vehicle in any trim.

[530iDriver]

Sad to see sales of G30 5-Series have gone down 16.4% from the year before.

And the 2-Series is hardly moving with a 52% drop in comparison to 12 months ago😢

[pz619]

Originally Posted by cfm56d7b

The 6 series sales improved at least on a percentage basis. Better incentives?

X5 sales continue to maintain pace. No surprise. It's a fantastic vehicle in any trim.

I would venture a guess and say the 6GT, which was previously the 5GT, is the reason for the uptick.

[raysspl]

Decline of 3 series sales is indicative of nearing its life cycle & people are beginning to take note (& perhaps wait)

[cfm56d7b]

Originally Posted by raysspl

Decline of 3 series sales is indicative of nearing its life cycle & people are beginning to take note (& perhaps wait)

I agree. There are always potential buyers waiting for a end-of-model-year incentives F30 prior to G20 launch.

[Laki021]

Originally Posted by 530iDriver

Sad to see sales of G30 5-Series have gone down 16.4% from the year before.

And the 2-Series is hardly moving with a 52% drop in comparison to 12 months ago

6GT steeling some customers for sure. But even with that (5+6) it is still down.

[marcva]

Originally Posted by 530iDriver

And the 2-Series is hardly moving with a 52% drop in comparison to 12 months ago😢

Mercedes and Audi sold about 3500 combined small sedans in the US this month (A3, CLA)

[Cortexiphan]

We are disconnected from reality. Here, people are complaining about electric steering, loss of 6MT whereas in the real world, X3 is the best selling BMW.

[rainfall]

very surprising how well the X1 and X2 are doing well in the US. I wonder what would happen if BMW released in the US a new generation of the F20 (1 series 4 door hatch).
There is this conception that Americans don't like hatchbacks, but I see a lot of GTIs, Focus, etc around. For me, hatchbacks have most of the practicality of these mini SUVs and are more fun to drive.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by rainfall

There is this conception that Americans don't like hatchbacks, but I see a lot of GTIs, Focus, etc around. For me, hatchbacks have most of the practicality of these mini SUVs and are more fun to drive.

In the US, compact hatchbacks are popular primarily as inexpensive utilitarian vehicles. Once you put the luxury badge on the tailgate and bump the price by $10k or more, the value equation goes out the window and sales are not sustainable. This is why the A Class hatchback, A3 Sportback (except in PHEV form), and 1 Series hatchback are not sold in the US, and why the Lexus CT200h was discontinued.

So, yes, as you've observed there is absolutely a market for small hatchbacks in the US. But there is no market for luxury equivalents.

[Kief]

Originally Posted by cfm56d7b

X5 sales continue to maintain pace. No surprise. It's a fantastic vehicle in any trim.

Yeah I agree, and I just picked up this beauty on Tuesday...You're welcome BMWNA for my contribution to that 0.1% increase

https://bimmerpost.com/forums/showpo...7&postcount=37

[Bufalo]

Originally Posted by rainfall

very surprising how well the X1 and X2 are doing well in the US. I wonder what would happen if BMW released in the US a new generation of the F20 (1 series 4 door hatch).
There is this conception that Americans don't like hatchbacks, but I see a lot of GTIs, Focus, etc around. For me, hatchbacks have most of the practicality of these mini SUVs and are more fun to drive.

They have an entire sub-brand that sold 4300 small, front wheel drive hatchbacks in July.