On the Dash:
- BMW Group delivered 551,072 vehicles worldwide in the third quarter, down 6.3% from a year earlier, showing that Western-market growth still can’t offset China’s slide.
- BMW and Mini sales rose 2.5% in the United States and 2.7% in Europe, so dealers in those markets are working with steady demand.
- Battery-electric deliveries rose 7.2%, suggesting customers are responding to the electric lineup dealers will stock as Neue Klasse models expand.
According to figures the German automaker released Tuesday, the BMW Group delivered 551,072 vehicles worldwide in the third quarter, down 6.3% from a year earlier, as a steep drop in China outweighed modest gains in Europe and the United States.
BMW and Mini sales in China fell 24.8% to 114,355 vehicles, which made the country the group’s biggest regional challenge. Intensifying competition from Chinese manufacturers continues to erode sales volumes there, and Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Volkswagen also reported lower third-quarter deliveries as China volumes plummeted.
Meanwhile, BMW and Mini sales rose 2.7% in Europe and 2.5% in the United States, giving the brand some support in Western markets even as China pressure persisted.
The group also saw encouraging signs in electrification. Its battery-electric vehicle (BEV) deliveries rose 7.2% in the quarter, and the new iX3, the first Neue Klasse model, has driven electric demand in Europe since deliveries began. Jochen Goller, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Customer, Brands and Sales, said customers have shown strong interest in the new 3 Series and X5, and that the Neue Klasse models and technologies strengthen the company’s position for future challenges.
