BMW Blames Storms As Sales Stumble By 4.7% In January

Sales of BMW brand vehicles decreased 4.7 percent in January for a total of 18,082 compared to 18,981 vehicles sold in January, 2015. 

"As expected, January suffered a bit from the strong storms that froze large parts of the country," said Ludwig Willisch, President and CEO, BMW of North America.  "In spite of the obstacles, the new BMW X1 showed extraordinary growth and our 7 Series and X3 set the momentum we expect to continue in the year ahead."

Sales of BMW Sports Activity Vehicles gave a boost to January with the new BMW X1 leading the way, increasing 274.0 percent and the BMW X3 increasing 49.3 percent. In its third full month of sales, the new BMW 7 Series continued its upward momentum increasing 33.0 percent from January a year ago.

BMW Group Sales

In total, the BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported January sales of 21,320 vehicles, a decrease of 4.0 percent from the 22,209 vehicles sold in the same month a year ago. 

MINI Brand Sales

For January, MINI USA reports 3,238 automobiles sold, an increase of 0.3 percent from the 3,228 sold in the same month a year ago. 

Car4life1 - 2/2/2016 2:56:53 PM

+3 Boost

I guess Any Excuse is better than none Bimmer...

Breaking News C Class outsells 3 series and nearly outsells both the 3 and 4 series combined and Benz has not even released the budget model C 250 yet in the states....

Lastly Im surprised how well Benz SUVs are doing compared to BMW's

GermanNut - 2/2/2016 3:10:14 PM

+5 Boost

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class coupe and eventual C-Class cabriolet are also not available for purchase yet either.

The winter storms BMW is referencing obviously didn't negatively impact Mercedes-Benz or Audi.

What a poor excuse by BMW.

TheSteve - 2/2/2016 3:46:48 PM

-2 Boost

Who cares what the excuse or explanation might be. Monthly fluctuations are 100% normal, and should be expected. Even the occasional small contractions (AKA "negative growth"), as seen in these numbers. All that matters is their year end unit sales, and their profitability.

Just to demonstrate how meaningless a single month's number might be, turn to Audi and note they can brag about having positive growth every month for over 5 years! And yet, BMW handily outsells Audi, even though BMW stands alone against the competition while Audi can leverage considerable cross-brand economies throughout VAG (The Volkswagen Audi Group).


(Disclosure: I've owned 4 BMWs, and loved them all. I currently own one vehicle, an Audi, which I also love, for the most part. I'm neither a BMW or Audi fanboy.)

MDarringer - 2/2/2016 8:21:35 PM

+1 Boost

AMEN

ilovecar2015 - 2/2/2016 3:55:32 PM

+5 Boost

BMW has a weak CUV/SUV line up while MB and Lexus has much stronger CUV/SUV.

5 series outsold 3-series? What gives? Clearance for new gen 5-series?

carsnyc - 2/2/2016 8:38:27 PM

+4 Boost

3 series loosing its mojo

ilovecar2015 - 2/3/2016 11:43:23 AM

+2 Boost

Wonder if BMW regrets breaking down their sales for 3/4 series, now Lexus RX can easily beat 3-series, and MB C-Class looking to beat it as well.

W208 - 2/3/2016 8:04:53 PM

+2 Boost

@cyberlancer....some people don't take things like what you're saying into account. They assume it's cycles. Even in the stock market, as the market goes through correction periods, it doesn't change the fact when a stock sucks, it sucks. BMWs tactics will eventually catch up to them.

While there's little evidence, I personally believe the majority of BMW owners don't have a fkng clue as to what they're buying. Case in point, my ex mother-in-law and my own father.

Residuals on their cars are bullshit. Everyone always claims 'they have the highest residuals.' Just like Market Makers make the market, dealers and BMW themselves make the used market values for their cars. Comparable Mercedes' are thousands less than BMW's and I, for the life of me, cannot understand why people would waste money on these bombs.

BMW single-handedly won awards while later receiving class action lawsuits on the very products for which they won the awards. The products are garbage. The service is garbage.