BMW Sees Growth Slowing After 22% Rise In Feb. Sales
BMW AG said growth in Asia, Europe and the U.S. boosted February sales of BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce vehicles by 21.7 percent but warned growth would slow toward year-end.
"We expect this dynamic growth to continue throughout the first half of 2011, and then slow down somewhat in the second half of the year, due to base-line effects," Ian Robertson, a member of BMW's management board, said in a statement on Wednesday, reported Automotive News Europe.
BMW said retail volumes rose on all continents in virtually all markets. Sales in Asia rose 49 percent, with European sales up 17 percent and sales in the Americas up 15 percent.
On a global scale, BMW brand sales gained 22 percent to 95,423 vehicles, with sales of Mini branded products up 19.3 percent and Rolls-Royce deliveries at 252 vehicles. BMW said sales of the new 5 series, and X-series SUVs helped drive sales, with the launch of the new 6 series set to further boost sales.
Record sales
In January this year, Robertson said that BMW wants 2011 to be a record sales year for the group and all its brands.
"This year we plan to sell well over 1.5 million units, achieving all-time sales highs for all three brands – BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce," he said at the Detroit auto show.
In 2010 the BMW Group increased sales 13.6 percent to 1.46 million units, the company's second-best year. The record stands at 1,500,678 vehicles sold in 2007.
Mini set a new sales record in 2010 with a volume of 234,115 units, up 8.2 percent on the year before.
Rolls-Royce also achieved an all-time high in 2010 due to a 176 percent year-on-year sales surge to 2,711 units.
The BMW brand's 2010 sales rose 14.6 percent to 1,224,280 units, but that was not enough to beat its record high of 1,276,793 cars and SUVs set in 2007.
More Industry

Charger Network Growth Slows
Despite a projected increase in public EV chargers in 2026, charging infrastructure remains a top concern for consumers as the gap between the most and least EV-friendly places remains substantial.
Read More →
Lenders, Consumers Take on More Auto Loan Risk
September records loosened credit access the most in over a decade as buyers took advantage of the conditions to afford trading, though loan applications fell.
Read More →
Next-Gen Hybrids in Sight
Dealerships can expect to see revamped hybrids from Honda next year as the company rolls out a new system and model lineup.
Read More →
Gem State Stores Change Hands
A larger auto group founded in the industry’s early years sold two franchises to a neighbor group that's on a growth spurt.
Read More →
Charging In Motion
Honda has been researching wireless in-motion charging for electric vehicles since 2025, and new technology developments have put it a step closer to a final product.
Read More →
Twin Cities Stores Sell
Minnesota-based Walser Automotive Group made what it called the most significant acquisition in its history with a three-rooftop deal in Minneapolis.
Read More →
U.S. Auto Sales Still Below Prepandemic Levels
Mobility Global industry observers don’t expect the market to return to the higher volumes that became routine before Covid but to stay well below its potential.
Read More →
The Powertrain Shift
Electric-vehicle owners are backpedaling, according to new data, with product availability driving many to shift back to gas-powered engines.
Read More →
Achromatic Autos
The shades that dominate the U.S. car market don’t call attention to themselves, though grayscale may have plateaued after a 30-year upswing, research shows.
Read More →
Used-Vehicle Affordability Worsens
Listing prices in August defied seasonal trends, rising above $27,000 for the second time this year.
Read More →