Do you need help? Please contact our support team from 9 to 17 CET via support.pressclub@bmwgroup.com.

PressClub Canada · Article.

Statement by Dr. Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Conference Call Interim Report to 31 March 2011

Statement Dr. Reithofer, Conference Call Interim Report 1st quarter 2011

Corporate Finance, Facts, Figures
·
Corporate Events
·
Board Member Speeches

Press Contact.

Barb Pitblado
BMW Group

Tel: +1-905-428-5005
Fax: +1-905-428-5086

send an e-mail

 

Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen!

 

Our strategy is paying off.

 

We are reaping the benefits of focusing on the four pillars of our strategic approach:

  • Growth,
  • Profitability,
  • Shaping the Future, and
  • Access to new Technologies and Customers.  

 

To be clear, we are not resting on our laurels.

 

It is our responsibility to ensure the ongoing strength of the BMW Group.

 

And we are able to do so from a strong position: financially, strategically, and technologically.

 

We have just achieved the best start to the year in our company’s history.

 

Our key figures for the first quarter demonstrate this:

 

We achieved a record pre-tax result at the Group level of 1.8 billion Euros.

 

  • Net profit stands at 1.2 billion Euros.

     
  • In the Auto Segment, we have recorded an EBIT margin of close to 12 percent. We continue to generate high levels of profitability, in line with our targets laid out for 2012.
  • Our Financial Services division also posted its best-ever quarterly result before taxes: 429 million Euros.

 

These figures show the strong global demand for BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce cars and motorcycles.

 

You know that in the first three months of this year, we delivered over 382,000 cars to customers worldwide – more than ever before in a first quarter.

 

This is due to both the launch of new models as well as the continuing success of existing models.

 

Let me give you some examples:

  • We sold over 85,000 new BMW 5 Series, including the BMW 5 Series GT, in the first three months of the year, making it number one in the upper mid-size segment.
  • Other segment leaders include the 1 Series Convertible, the 3 Series Convertible and the BMW X5.
  • The BMW 7 Series has never had a more successful first quarter.
  • At more than 55,000 units sold, the BMW 3 Series Sedan continues to perform at a high level.
  • And more than 16,000 customers bought the new MINI Countryman in the first quarter alone.
  • Rolls-Royce has delivered 723 motor cars to their new owners. This is a considerable increase from the previous-year figures.

 

The Motorcycle Segment also had an excellent first quarter, with BMW improving by 11 percent and Husqvarna by 18 percent.

 

In April, we have launched our very first BMW six-cylinder motorcycles. Additional new models for both brands will be launched over the course of the year.

 

April built upon this positive sales trend. We recorded a total of over 136,000 cars sold, up 17 percent on the prior-year level.

 

As a global company, we aim to continue our balanced growth – in both mature markets and emerging growth markets.

 

In the first quarter, the US and Germany have been neck-and-neck in terms of sales. And China is the third largest sales market.

 

But we also saw impressive growth in the dynamic young markets of Brazil, Russia, India, Korea and Turkey.

 

We have been able to meet strong global demand because of our highly flexible production network.

 

  • Our associates at the Regensburg plant are hard at work preparing the launch of the new BMW 1 Series.
  • Plant Dingolfing mastered the start of production of the new BMW 6 Series Convertible in late 2010. Starting this summer, they will also produce the new 6 Series Coupe, available this fall.

 

We are currently evaluating how to expand our production network further in line with our growth strategy. One possibility is an assembly plant in Brazil.

 

At the same time, we are strengthening our global dealership network – in China, in India and in many other markets.

 

We have every intention to stay on track. The BMW Group understands that we must earn our success every day.

 

Our long tradition of innovation and our strong brands create a platform from which we will develop revolutionary products in the era of sustainable mobility.

 

This means:
To make the right investments and promote the right innovations at the right time.

 

  • In the past decade, we laid a solid foundation for today’s competitive advantage with Efficient Dynamics.

  • And back in 2007 we charted the roadmap for our development up to the year 2020 by launching our strategy Number ONE.

 

We intend to shape future mobility by using our strong financial footing and continuing to innovate.

As we see it, this includes the following aspects:

  • To maintain our technological lead in the field of sustainable drive systems with both combustion and electric motors.
  • To pool the most promising expertise within the company.
  • To provide customers with attractive mobility services.

 

 

Here are four examples:

 

  1. We are a major driving force in the field of e-mobility.
    Beginning in the fall, customers in the US will be able to lease the electronic BMW ActiveE. In Shanghai, we presented our BMW e-car from China for China. It is a plug-in hybrid based on the BMW 5 Series long version. In all-electric mode, this car has a range of 50 kilometers.
  2. We will also offer innovative mobility services.
    Together with our partner Sixt, we will establish ‘DriveNow’. This program will offer customers an alternative to rental cars, taxis, and public transport. 300 MINI Cooper and BMW 1 Series cars will be on the streets of Munich soon. Our investment company BMW i Ventures became a partner in the New York-based ‘My City Way’. Their mobile app provides information on cities in the US and around the globe.
  3. We are using more modules in our new cars.
    This approach was fully implemented for the first time with the new BMW 1 Series.
    In the future, our drive system module will allow us to share up to 60 percent of the components between our three, four and six-cylinder engines. By standardizing processes even further, we are reducing costs while also improving the quality of the vehicles. In fact, the BMW Group recently received top marks for quality. According to the most recent ADAC rankings, MINI ranks first among small cars for the fewest number of breakdowns; the BMW 1 Series first in the economy mid-size segment; the BMW X3 first and the BMW 3 Series third in the mid-size segment; and the BMW 5 Series second in the upper mid-size segment.

  4. We are strengthening our global design expertise.
    In the second half of this year, we will open a new design studio in Shanghai. This new studio will be integrated into our global design team of DesignworksUSA with offices in California, Munich and Singapore. According to customer surveys, design remains a top reason for choosing a brand. Designworks is responsible for providing the BMW Group with new ideas and external perspectives. Today, many trends come from Asia. We aim to create synergies and by doing so, improve our understanding of our Asian customers, particularly those in China. This will expand our design language even more globally.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen –
we had a strong start to the year.

 

As a result, we confirm our targets for the overall year.

We aim to:

  • exceed our 2010 results.
  • sell well over 1.5 million cars.
  • achieve record results for our three brands BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce.

 

These targets are based on the assumption that global conditions will remain stable.

 

We expect that global demand for cars will increase further this year.

 

However, we will see uneven development in the individual markets:

 

While demand in the BRIKT countries, the US and Germany is picking up, growth in China will slow down. And sales in Western Europe are expected to plateau.

 

It is important to remember, there remains volatility in our business environment – both in politics and the markets.

 

Despite these challenges, the BMW Group has a clear strategy.

 

Our aim is to provide individual mobility for a new era.

 

And we will do this from a position of strength and independence.

 

This is the BMW way.

 

Thank you very much!

 

Article Offline Attachments.

My.PressClub Login
 

BMW Group Streaming

ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2024.

Munich. Here you can see the on demand webcast of the BMW Group Annual Conference 2024, with the world premiere of the next BMW vision vehicle on the "Road to Neue Klasse".

Open Streaming Page

Add your filter tags.

Press Release
Press Kit
Speech
Fact & Figures
Updates
Top-Topic
Submit filter
Clear all
 
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
 
Login