Compared to the 278,732 vehicles sold in 2020, total sales of the BMW brand in 2021 climbed by 20.8% to 336,644.
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Our Analysis of BMW US Sales Data
Throughout the 2000s, BMW enjoyed tremendous sales success in the United States, in part because of a rising model and variation range and a series of specialty models that were introduced practically annually. The M3 and M5 gave the “M” brand its halo, which contributed to the brand’s status as the top sports car manufacturer in the US. From 232,032 units in 2002 to over 346,023 in 2015, sales increased. For BMW, nearly every year was a record year (with the exception of the financial crisis which hit sales hard and took two years to get back to record run rate).
But in recent years, BMW has begun to experience some pressure, and sales in the United States have been disappointing (although globally very strong). Sales decreased from a peak of 346k in 2015 to 306 in 2017, partly as a result of a product lineup that was less appealing than that of other models in the same sectors. In comparison to brands like Audi and Mercedes, BMW’s product lineup is dated, and it appears that customers are voting with their dollars. Despite the fact that sales of 311k units in the US set records in 2018, the brand will continue to face pressure in the years to come.
The CEO of BMW hopes to sell 3 million automobiles annually.
Due to the pandemic’s quick recovery, BMW Group sets new sales goals for the future. BMW CEO Oliver Zipse claims that the company, based in Munich, aspires to sell three million automobiles annually. The desired date? Definitely prior to 2030. In 2019, the BMW Group sold 2.52 million cars—including BMW, MINI, and Rolls-Royce—around the world. 2020 saw a modest decrease to 2.325 million vehicles, the first 2 million of which had the BMW badge on the boot.
Three million units would be the natural next step, presuming that the BMW Group has largely recovered from the corona epidemic and that 2019-level results can be repeated in 2021. By 2028, the 3 million target might be reached if Bavarians maintain their average growth rate of 5%.
The CEO of BMW predicts that Asia will remain crucial to the company’s overall expansion. Currently, BMW’s largest market is China. Even more impressive is the fact that only 63% of the Chinese market is represented by BMW’s second- and third-largest markets.
In the United States, total sales of the BMW brand declined by 17.5% in 2020 to 278,732 automobiles sold, down from 338,003 in 2019. However, it continues to be one of the biggest and most significant markets for Bavarians. Compared to the 36,272 vehicles sold in 2019, the overall sales of the MINI USA brand in 2020 was 28,138, a decline of 22.4%.
Of course, Munich continues to commit electrification offenses. BMW anticipates a minimum ten-fold increase in electric vehicle sales from 2020 to 2025. More than half of all new automobile sales worldwide are anticipated to occur by 2030 in all-electric vehicles.
automotive industry.
1 This includes the Shenyang joint venture BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd. (2017: 385,705 units, 2018: 455,581 units, 2019: 538,612 units, 2020: 602,247 units, 2021: 651,236 units).
Statistics on retail vehicle deliveries reported for 2020 and 2021 cannot be directly compared to data on retail vehicle deliveries offered for earlier years. Please refer to “Comparison of Forecast with Actual Outcomes” in the BMW Group Report 2021 for more details on retail car delivery data.
2 EU-27 nations, including Iceland and Norway; starting in 2021, values are computed on a converted basis in accordance with WLTP (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure). values for the New European Driving Cycle from 2017 to 2020 (NEDC).
3 Due to the fact that not all EU member states have released their official registration data, this estimate has a possible error of +/- 0.5 g CO2 per km. Official data is not anticipated to be released by the EU Commission until November of the following year.
4 The following flexibilities are listed in the regulatory criteria for 2021: Green technology with 1.7 g CO2 per kilometre (WLTP).
5 The 2020 NEDC figures were converted to WLTP after being adjusted for permissible flexibilities in order to improve year-over-year comparability. Specifically, they went from 99 g CO2 / km according to NEDC (including 5 g CO2 / km phase-in, 7.5 g CO2 / km supercredits, and 2.4 g CO2 / km eco-innovations) to 135 g CO2 / km according to WLTP (excluding flexibilities). A phase-in regulation and the acceptance of supercredits were both approved for 2020. These two simplifications are no longer applicable to the BMW Group as of 2021.
Efficiency ratio was calculated based on Scope 1 and Scope 2 CO2 emissions from vehicle production (BMW Group manufacturing sites, including joint venture BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd. and motorcycles, excluding contract manufacturers), as we stated in GHG Protocol Scope 2 guidance. This method was primarily based on the use of the VDA emissions factors as well as isolated use of local emissions factors, but excluded climate-changing gases other than carbon dioxide (BMW Group manufacturing sites incl. joint venture BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd., excluding contract manufacturers). Beginning in 2021, this indicator will also take into account the carbon emissions produced by all other BMW Group facilities. For comparison, the data for 2019 (base year) and 2020 have been appropriately modified (2019 before adjustment: 0.30 tons, 2020 before adjustment: 0.23 tons). Limited assurance audits are performed on the 2017 and 2018 numbers.
The German business has risen to the top of the premium market.
It seems strange that every manufacturer is lamenting the chip shortage even as several of them are anticipating their strongest-ever sales in 2021. Now, despite the challenges and production disruptions in the automotive sector, BMW is joining brands like Porsche, Lamborghini, and Rolls-Royce(see the linked links below) with record deliveries last year.
2,213,795 automobiles were sold under the BMW brand internationally in 2021, an increase of 9.1 percent over the previous year. The outcome made last year the brand’s best-ever sales year. 510,727 vehicles in total were sold only in the final three months of the previous year.
All BMW models witnessed a significant increase in sales in the United States of 20.8 percent to 336,644 units, which was comparable to the year before the coronavirus 2019. Unsurprisingly, 60% of all sales in the nation last year were made by the BMW X series. The combined sales of BMW and Mini increased by 3.9 percent in Europe. It’s interesting to note that in Belgium, BMW lead the entire European market for the first time ever.
The BMW M division was a significant contributor to the record year as well. The performance division of the carmaker supplied 163,542 BMW M automobiles globally, which is 13.4% more than in 2020. Without going into great detail, the Bavarian brand claims that demand for the M3 and M4 increased significantly, and that demand for the X5 M and X6 M also increased significantly year over year. The iX M60 and i4 M50 will also contribute to the overall sales of the BMW M in 2022.
Similar Vehicles
The sales as a whole included a large contribution from the BMW M division. According to the carmaker, global sales of BMW M performance vehicles reached 163,542 units in 2021, an increase of 13.4% from the previous year. Among the best-selling vehicles were the BMW M3 and M4. The X5 M and X6 M also experienced high demand, according to the carmaker. The iX M60 and i4 M50, among other vehicles from this M performance division, also saw considerable demand.
Among the major markets, the US had a sharp increase in BMW car sales. With 336,644 units sold last year, the carmaker experienced growth of 20.8%. This was comparable to the brand’s US market sales performance before to the Covid acquisition. 60% of the brand’s sales in the US market last year came from the impressive BMW X range.
In comparison to 2020, yearly sales for BMW and Mini in the European market increased by a combined 3.9% in 2021. According to BMW, Belgium dominated the European market in terms of sales.
Pieter Nota, a member of the Board of Management of BMW AG who is in charge of Customer, Brands, and Sales, commented on the sales performance. He said that despite supply constraints and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, BMW achieved a strong sales performance in 2021 due to strong operational performance and a strong product lineup.
BMW, which is the leading brand in the world’s premium market, led all of our brands in reporting several all-time best sales figures, Nota continued.
How many BMWs are sold in the US annually?
According to BMW, sales of the BMW brand in the United States were 93,031 vehicles in the fourth quarter of 2021, a 5.8% drop from the 98,750 vehicles sold in the same period of 2020. Compared to the 278,732 vehicles sold in 2020, the total sales of the BMW brand in 2021 were up 20.8 percent to 336,644.
What is BMW’s best-selling vehicle?
A total of 336,644 automobiles were sold under the BMW brand in the USA for the entire year 2021, a 20.8% increase over the 278,732 vehicles sold in 2020 and around 12,000 more vehicles than were sold in 2019.
In the USA, sales of BMW light trucks (SUVs) and passenger automobiles both saw significant growth in 2021. Compared to 2019, car sales were down by about 8,000 units, whereas SUV sales in 2021 were up by more than 20,000 units.
The X3 and X5 were the two most popular BMW vehicles in the US in 2021, and the 3-Series was the best-selling BMW passenger car. 60% of 2021 sales were made up of Sports Activity Vehicles from the whole BMW X Model lineup.
The first electric-only BMW iX and i4 deliveries in the USA began in the fourth quarter of 2021.