BMW and Mercedes sales plunge 25% in November

Sales of BMW and Mercedes-Benz cars fell by about 25 percent in November, compared with a year earlier.
 
The German premium brands suffered as even well-heeled consumers kept a tight grip on their wallets amid a sharp economic downturn.
 
Global sales of BMW brand cars were down 26.2 percent to 81,357 units in November.
 
BMW group sales including Mini and Rolls-Royce, fell 25.4 percent to 96,570.
 
Global sales of Mercedes and Smart cars fell 25.2 percent to 84,500 in November, the carmaker's parent Daimler said today.
 
Daimler blamed difficult market developments in western Europe, the U.S. and Japan for the sales drop.
 
In western Europe, Mercedes sales fell by 25.2 percent to 50,500. In Germany, sales were down 22.9 percent to 24,400.
 
In the U.S., Mercedes sales were down 29.9 percent to 16,000 units. In Japan, the brand's sales decreased by 46 percent to 2,100.
 
Sales of BMW's Mini small-car brand fell 20.8 percent to 15,103. BMW said the drop in Mini sales was mainly due to the loss of production of the Mini convertible. BMW stopped building the model in August. The new-generation Mini convertible is due in March.
 
Sales of BMW-owned Rolls-Royce fell 18.5 percent to 110 in November.
 
Ian Robertson, BMW's head of sales and marketing, said that despite the November fall, the group's 11 months sales have performed better than the overall premium segment.
 
BMW increased its market share in the premium segment between January and November, Robertson said.
 
BMW group sales fell 1.8 percent to 1.32 million in the first 11 months, compared with the same period last year.
 
• Sales of BMW-branded cars were down 3.5 percent to 1,105,112.
 
• Sales of the Mini were up 7.6 percent to 217,405.
 
• Rolls-Royce sales were up 28.5 percent to 1,055.
 
Mercedes global sales for the first 11 months fell 4 percent to 1,034,700. U.S. sales were up 1.2 percent to 228,700. Western European sales fell 4.1 percent to 683,400 and in Germany sales fell 1.5 percent to 306,900.
 
In Japan, sales fell 14.8 percent to 34,100.
 
Deliveries of Smart cars were down 1.2 percent to 10,000 in November. But sales are up 36.5 percent to 123,500 for the first 11 months.
From: Automotive News Europe

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