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BMW Group: moderate 4.3% decrease in sales for 2008

Annual sales of MINI and Rolls-Royce reach all-time high +++ BMW Group world's leading supplier of premium vehicles +++ December again marked by consumer reticence +++

Sales, Marketing
·
Finance, Facts, Figures

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Markus Sagemann
BMW Group

Tel: +49-89-382-68796

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Author.

Markus Sagemann
BMW Group

Annual sales of MINI and Rolls-Royce reach all-time high
BMW Group world's leading supplier of premium vehicles
December again marked by consumer reticence

Munich. In view of the global financial and economic crisis the BMW Group was,
as expected, unable to match the previous year's record earnings in its sales
figures for 2008 as a whole. Nevertheless, the company reported only a moderate
decrease of 4.3% from 2007's high level. Last year the BMW Group delivered a
total of 1,435,876 (prev.yr: 1,500,678) BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brand
automobiles to customers worldwide. The company thus achieved the second-best
sales result in its history, after 2007, and also remained the world's leading
supplier of premium vehicles in 2008. The month of December was again marked by
consumer reticence, with 112,423 (prev.yr.: 152,721 / -26.4%) vehicles sold.

Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for
Sales and Marketing: "2008 was a tough year for the automotive industry
worldwide. Despite the global financial and economic crisis, the BMW Group was
able to set new sales records at MINI and Rolls-Royce in 2008. Overall we
performed comparatively well with a 4.3% decrease. One clear reason for this is
our Efficient Dynamics technology for reducing fuel consumption and CO2
emissions which meanwhile comes as standard in all BMW and MINI models."
Robertson also added: "We have already reached fuel efficiency levels that some
of our competitors still want to achieve. Month to month, we were able to sell
more vehicles with fuel saving technology than some car companies do in a
year." In 2008, the BMW Group delivered in Europe alone around 830,000 vehicles
with Efficient Dynamics to its customers. Between1995 and 2008, the company has
achieved a 25% reduction of the CO2 value of its fleet in Europe to less than
160g per kilometre.

The BMW brand delivered 1,202,239 (prev.yr.: 1,276,793 / -5.8%) vehicles to
customers worldwide in 2008, placing it clearly ahead of core competitors in
the premium segment. In the month under review 97,256 units - or 26.2% fewer
vehicles - were sold than in the same month last year.

Annual sales of MINI and Rolls-Royce reach all-time high
The MINI brand made further sales gains in 2008 to achieve a new all-time high.
With a total of 232,425 deliveries it grew 4.3% over the previous year. In
December the brand reported sales down 27.8% to 15,010 (prev.yr.: 20,800)
vehicles. A temporary interruption in the MINI model programme also contributed
to this relatively substantial decrease. The MINI Convertible ceased production
back in August 2008 - with the new MINI Convertible not scheduled for market
launch until late March 2009.

In 2008 sales of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars climbed 20.0% higher than the previous
year to reach a total of 1,212 (prev.yr: 1,010) automobiles. With six
consecutive years of sales growth, Rolls-Royce remains the clear market leader
in the super luxury class segment. The brand delivered 157 motor cars to
customers in the month under review (-16.9%).

BMW once again most successful European automotive brand in the U.S. in 2008
The United States remained the biggest single market for BMW Group automobiles
in 2008. The BMW Group delivered a total of 303,190 (prev.yr.: 335,840 / -9.7%)
vehicles here. Despite a decrease of 15.2% for the year ending in December, the
BMW brand was once again the most successful European automotive brand in the
USA in 2008 (249,113 vehicles sold). No other automotive brand from Europe sold
more vehicles in the world's biggest auto market in 2008.
The MINI brand can also look back on a successful year in the United States. In
fact, 2008 was the brand's best year since the premium small car was launched
on the U.S. market in 2002 (54,077 vehicles sold/ +28.6%). For the very first
time, the U.S. became the largest single market for MINI.
Germany was second among the BMW Group's major markets with a total of 284,353
new registrations (prev.yr. 284,690 / -0.1%). With sales almost reaching the
previous year's level, the BMW Group performed considerably better than the
overall market here, which shrank by 1.8%.

In spite of difficult conditions on the global markets, BMW Motorrad was nearly
able to match last year's record sales. 101,685 (prev.yr.: 102,467) BMW
motorcycles were delivered to customers in 2008 (-0.8%). Sales in December were
even 9.3% higher than the previous year (6,821 units) at 7,457 units.

BMW Group sales in/up to December 2008 at a glance
In Dec. 2008 Comp. with previous year Up to and incl. Dec. 2008 Comp. with
previous year
BMW Group Automobiles 112,423 -26.4% 1,435,876 -4.3%
BMW 97,256 -26.2% 1,202,239 -5.8%
MINI 15,010 -27.8% 232,425 +4.3%
Rolls-Royce 157 -16.9% 1,212 +20.0%
BMW Motorcycles 7,457 +9.3% 101,685 -0.8%


If you have any queries, please contact:

Corporate and Governmental Affairs

Markus Sagemann, Business Communications
Telephone: +49 89 382-68796, Fax: +49 89 382-24418

Marc Hassinger, Business and Financial Communications
Telephone: +49 89 382-23362, Fax: +49 89 382-24418

Media website: www.press.bmwgroup.com,
E-mail: presse@bmwgroup.com

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CO2 emission information.

Fuel consumption, CO2 emission figures and power consumption and range were measured using the methods required according to Regulation VO (EC) 2007/715 as amended. They refer to vehicles on the German automotive market. For ranges, the NEDC figures take into account differences in the selected wheel and tyre size, while the WLTP figures take into account the effects of any optional equipment.

All figures have already been calculated based on the new WLTP test cycle. NEDC figures listed have been adjusted to the NEDC measurement method where applicable. WLTP values are used as a basis for the assessment of taxes and other vehicle-related duties which are (also) based on CO2 emissions and, where applicable, for the purposes of vehicle-specific subsidies. Further information are available at www.bmw.de/wltp and at www.dat.de/co2/.

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