PressClub Global · Article.
Outstanding sales results in 2008 - BMW Motorrad asserts itself in tough market conditions - significant growth for Husqvarna Motorcycles.
Wed Jan 21 10:30:00 CET 2009 Press Release
In tough market conditions, BMW Motorrad has been able to follow up on its record sales of the previous year. In 2008, 101,685 (previous year: 102,467 units) BMW motorcycles were delivered to customers - a slight drop of 0.8%.
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Liane Drews
BMW Group
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Author.
Liane Drews
BMW Group
Munich. In tough market conditions, BMW Motorrad has been able to follow up on
its record sales of the previous year. In 2008, 101,685 (previous year: 102,467
units) BMW motorcycles were delivered to customers - a slight drop of 0.8%.
Clear growth signals were shown especially in the second half of the year. In
December, sales were even 9.3% above the level of the previous year at 7,457
units (previous year: 6,821 units).
Despite a decline in motorcycle markets in general, BMW Motorrad saw clear
increases in sales in the European markets of Italy, France, Great
Britain/Ireland, Switzerland, Austria, Greece and Poland as well as Latin
America and South Africa amongst others. As a result of the ongoing product
offensive, the blue-and-white brand was able to assert itself impressively in
the other export markets and in some cases significantly increase market shares.
In Germany, the biggest single market for BMW Motorrad, a total of 18,112 BMW
motorcycles were newly registered (previous year: 22,065 units), a decline of
17.9%. Nonetheless BMW Motorrad was able to maintain market leadership in the
overall market, which once again declined (minus 8.8 %), as well as in the
segment of motorcycles over 500 cc. The BMW share of the total market as of
December was 17.3% (previous year: 19.2%), in the segment over 500 cc the
market share was 18.1% (previous year: 20.4%).
As in the previous year, the second biggest market for BMW Motorrad was Italy.
15,342 BMW motorcycles (previous year: 14,533 units) were newly registered, an
increase of 5.6%. In the Italian market as a whole, in which there was a
general decline (total market: minus 8.6%), BMW not only recorded an increase
in registrations but was also able to expand its market share to 11.2 %
(previous year: 9.7%).
In the USA too, BMW Motorrad's third largest market, the total market declined
by 4.6 %. Nonetheless 0.5% more BMW motorcycles were registered by customers
than in the previous year, with total sales of 11,831 units (previous year:
11.776 units); at the same time the BMW Motorrad market share increased from
1.7% to 1.8%.
Market development / BMW registrations / BMW market share in other markets:
UK..............: -5,8% / 5.850 units (prev. y.: 5.100 units) / 8,3% (prev. y.:
6,8%)
France........: -3,0% / 8.019 units (prev. y.: 7.590 units) / 7,7% (prev. y.:
7,1%)
South Africa: -8,1% / 3.313 units (prey. y.: 2.762 units) / 12,8% (prey. y.:
9,8%)
Spain........: -20,4% / 10.152 units (prev. y.: 10.384 units) / 9,0% (prev. y.:
7,3%)
The most successful model overall in 2008 was once again the travel enduro BMW
R 1200 GS (22,845 units) followed by its sibling model, the R 1200 GS Adventure
(12,460 units). As compared to the previous year, 2,298 more units of the R
1200 GS were delivered to customers, while sales of the Adventure were 2,930
units above the previous year.
It was followed in third place by the touring bike R 1200 RT with 11,001
motorcycles delivered.
The F enduro models, not available until March 2008 (autumn 2008: market launch
of the F 800 GS overseas), also became sales hits. The F 800 GS achieved sales
of 10,261 units, while the F 650 GS achieved 9,644 units and came fifth in the
popularity ranking of BMW motorcycles.
Husqvarna Motorcycles grows by about a third.
Husqvarna Motorcycles, the second motorcycle brand of the BMW Group, grew
significantly in 2008. The oldest motorcycle brand in the world still in active
production delivered 13,511 motorcycles in its first year after being taken
over by the BMW Group, a plus of 31% as compared to the previous year. Growth
stimuli here came mainly from overseas markets.
BMW Motorrad - the prospects for 2009.
The model range of BMW Motorrad is broader than ever in 2009. In the worlds of
experience Enduro, Tour, Urban, Sport and HP there are fascinating motorcycles
to meet virtually every taste. The program is complemented with an extensive
range of accessories and rider equipment.
As of February, the model revision of the BMW K series will be available to
customers - the K 1300 S, K 1300 R and K 1300 GT. The market launch of the
first medium category roadster by BMW, the F 800 R, will be in May.
The 2009 season will also see BMW Motorrad's entry into the segment of super
sports bikes. The BMW S 1000 RR will enter the Superbike World Championship,
the most important racing series for motorcycles close to serial production.
The market launch of the standard model will take place later on in the year.
The second racing highlight of the year is BMW's involvement in the sports
enduro area. The BMW Motorrad Motorsport Off-Road Team will enter the World
Enduro Championship with the G 450 X, as well as taking part in national and
international cross country championships.