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March 12, 2003
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This Week:

• Mercedes-Benz CLK 55 AMG celebrates premiere as new Formula One Safety Car

• GM Is First Automaker Approved To Drive A Liquid Hydrogen Vehicle On Japanese Roads

• BMW GROUP Sales February 2003: Outlook for the year remains positive

• DaimlerChrysler initiates "F-Cell" tests in Japan

• Peter Schwarzenbauer to be new President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America

• Ford Announces 100th Anniversary Celebration Plans

• Team Bentley returns to racing in the USA after 81 years

• Hyundai Motor America and Kia Motors America Outsource Vehicle Logistics Operation

• Toyota Announces Strong February Sales

• GM Service And Parts Operations, ProLogis And Aurora EDC Partnership Results In New Parts Distribution Center In Colorado

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BMW GROUP Sales February 2003: Outlook for the year remains positive
 

Munich - In February 2003, BMW Group sales remained stable, with a slight increase of 0.4% over the same month last year. Altogether, 74,650 BMW and MINI brand cars were delivered to customers (previous year: 74,380). Up to and including February, the number of deliveries rose slightly by 1.6% to 154,610 units (previous year: 152,190). Fewer BMW vehicles appeared on the market, due to the effect of model cycles. Sales in February decreased by 8.0% to 62,470 BMW vehicles (previous year: 67,930). Up to and including February, there was a decline in sales of 7.7% to 127,320 vehicles (previous year: 137,990). This development is according to plan: 5 Series is a central product that is coming up for a model change this year. In the 3 Series, the convertible, the coupé and the compact are being revamped. The BMW Z4 will be launched on the European markets in spring. Once these model series are fully available, the company is still expecting not only that the current decline will be compensated by the end of the year, but that the BMW brand will actually surpass the existing record values from the year 2002. The precondition for this, however, is still that the world political situation stabilizes.

According to the plans for the current year the worldwide demand for MINI brand automobiles continues to be positive. 12,180 MINI vehicles were delivered to customers in February. Up to and including February, the figure was 27,290. There is still a particularly high level of demand for MINI at the top end of the model range. More than half (15,040/55%) of the MINIs delivered in the first two months were MINI Cooper. The basic MINI One model and the top-of-the-range Cooper S ranked about equal, with 6,210 (23%) and 6,040 (22%) units sold. The introduction of the MINI One Diesel this summer will boost sales even further.

The motorcycle segment increased the delivery of two-wheelers in February by 1.5% to 6,510 units (previous year: 6,410). Up to and including February, the sale of motorcycles fell by 1.7% to 10,920 units (previous year: 11,100).

BMW Group Sales in/up to and incl. February 2003 at a glance

In February 03 comp. w. prev.yr. Up to and incl. February 03 comp. w. prev. yr.

• BMW GroupAutomobile 74,650 + 0.4% 154,610 + 1.6%

• BMW 62,470 - 8.0% 127,320 - 7.7%

• MINI 12,180 + 88.5% 27,290 + 92.2%

• BMW Motorcycle 6,510 + 1.5% 10,920 -1.7%

(March 10, 2003)