Η BMW η μεγαλύτερη premium αυτοκινητοβιομηχανία και το 2013

Το BMW Group διατήρησε τη πρώτη θέση της μεγαλύτερης premium αυτοκινητοβιομηχανίας και για το 2013, αφού κατά τη διάρκεια του περασμένου έτους πούλησε 1.963.798 αυτοκίνητα (BMW, Mini και Rolls Royce) παρουσιάζοντας αύξηση 6,8% σε σχέση με το 2012. Τον Δεκέμβριο πούλησε 186.786 (+14,8%).

Η BMW πούλησε συνολικά 1.655.138 αυτοκίνητα (+7,5%) ενώ τον Δεκέμβριο πούλησε 155.835 (+2,3%). Η Mini πούλησε 303.030 αυτοκίνητα (+1,2%), τον Δεκέμβριο πούλησε 30.455 αυτοκίνητα, ενώ η Rolls Royce 3.630 (+1,5%) αυτοκίνητα, κάνοντας ιστορικό ρεκόρ.

Η BMW διατήρησε τη πρώτη θέση, αφού τερμάτισε μπροστά από την Audi η οποία πούλησε 1.575.500 (+8,3%) και τη Mercedes-Benz η πούλησε 1.461.680 αυτοκίνητα (+10,7%). Περισσότερες λεπτομέρειες μπορείς να βρεις στο δελτίο τύπου που ακολουθεί

[Πηγή: Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz]

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BMW Group posts record sales for 2013

Deliveries climb 6.4% to 1,963,798 units

New all-time highs for BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands

BMW Group expects further growth in sales in 2014

Munich. The BMW Group sold more vehicles in 2013 than ever before in the company’s history. A total of 1,963,798 BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce vehicles were delivered worldwide, an increase of 6.4% from the previous record year of 2012 (1,845,186). All three brands reported record deliveries for 2013 and the company strengthened its position as the world’s leading manufacturer of premium vehicles. The BMW Group finished the year strongly, with a total of 186,786 vehicles sold in December, an increase of 2.9% over the same month last year (181,571 units).

Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, responsible for Sales and Marketing BMW: “The BMW Group posted record sales once again in 2013 and is clearly the number one in the premium segment. Our success can be attributed to our attractive and innovative models, the strength of our premium brands and our strategy of balanced sales across all continents. Despite the prevailing headwinds in many markets, we aim to increase sales and make 2014 another record year.”

BMW sales rose 7.5% in 2013 to reach 1,655,138 vehicles, an all-time high for the brand (prev. yr.: 1,540,085). BMW also achieved its best-ever sales for the month of December, with a total of 155,835 vehicles delivered – an increase of 2.3% over the previous year (152,286). One of the main success factors in 2013 was the BMW 3 Series, with a 23% increase in sales to 500,314 units (prev. yr.: 406,752). The BMW 3 Series Sedan remains segment leader with 348,540 vehicles delivered (prev. yr.: 294,039 / +18.5%). The BMW X1 also reported strong gains in 2013, with a total of 161,353 vehicles sold (prev. yr.: 147,776 / +9.2%). Demand for the BMW X3 remained high, with sales climbing 5.0% to 157,298 units (prev. yr.: 149,853). The BMW 5 Series also strengthened its position as segment leader, with a total of 366,992 automobiles sold in 2013 (prev. yr.: 359,016 / +2.2%). Significant gains were also recorded by the BMW 6 Series, with 27,687 vehicles delivered to customers (prev. yr.: 23,193 / +19.4%).

MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad with record sales in 2013

Peter Schwarzenbauer, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, MINI, Motorrad, Rolls-Royce and Aftersales BMW Group stated, “Global demand for our MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad models remains strong. We were able to deliver another record year in sales in 2013, thanks to exciting technology and our globally balanced distribution strategy.”

MINI sales climbed to a record 305,030 vehicles in 2013 (prev. yr.: 301,526 / +1.2%); December sales were 5.9% higher year-on-year, with a total of 30,455 units delivered (prev. yr.:28,751). The U.S. remains the largest market for MINI, with a record 66,502 cars sold last year, followed by the U.K. with 53,507 vehicles.

Rolls-Royce delivered 3,630 cars to customers in 2013 (prev. yr.: 3,575 / +1.5%), its fourth consecutive record year and the highest in the brand’s 110-year history. Demand for all Phantom and Ghost variants was strong and bespoke sales reached record levels in 2013. The company’s new model, Wraith, was unveiled in March at the Geneva Motor Show to worldwide acclaim and already has a strong order book. The first customer cars were delivered during the fourth quarter.

With a total of 115,215 motorcycles (prev. yr. 106,358 / +8.3%), BMW Motorrad delivered more vehicles in 2013 than ever before in its 90-year history. In December, 6,343 motorcycles were sold worldwide, an increase of 4.5% over the same month in 2012 (6,069).

The BMW Group continued its strategy of a balanced distribution of sales worldwide in 2013. Despite challenging economic conditions in many European markets, the BMW Group was able to maintain volumes in its largest sales region at the same level as last year, with 858,990 units delivered (prev. yr.: 864,812/ -0.7%). The company achieved its best-ever sales in the U.K. with a total of 188,837 vehicles sold (prev. yr.: 174,215/ +8.4%). BMW Group sales in the dynamic Russian market also climbed by 11.8% to a record 44,871 vehicles (prev. yr.: 40,144).

In Asia, BMW Group sales rose by 17.3% last year to 576,616 vehicles (prev. yr. 491,512). Mainland China accounted for 390,713 deliveries of BMW and MINI vehicles, an increase of 19.7% over the previous year (326,444). The BMW Group posted double- digit growth in many other Asian markets, including South Korea (+18.1% / 39,558), Japan (+13.4% / 64,216) and the Middle East (+15.4% / 24,596).

In the Americas, the BMW Group recorded strong gains in 2013, with 462,891 vehicles delivered. This represents an increase of 9.1% over the previous year (424,379). In the U.S., BMW Group sales climbed by 8.1% to 375,782 units (prev. yr.: 347,583). The BMW Group also reported particularly robust growth in Brazil in 2013 (+ 69.5% / 17,011 units).

Sales on the African continent were 5.7% lower than the previous year, with a total of 35,489 vehicles delivered to customers (prev. yr.: 37,649); the region of Oceania increased sales by 12.8% to 25,939 units (prev. yr.: 23,000).

BMW Group sales in/up to December 2013 at a glance

Audi: more than 1.57 million deliveries in 2013

• Global sales up 8.3 percent thanks to strong demand for new A3 family and Q models
• Audi CEO Rupert Stadler: “More than 600,000 new customers in four years”
• Sales chief Luca de Meo: “In 2013, Audi achieved new sales records in more than 40 markets and became the leading premium brand in the UK for the first time”

A new all-time record for AUDI AG: In 2013, the company sold around 1,575,500 automobiles worldwide, 8.3 percent more than in 2012. The premium manufacturer’s sales thus increased by more than 100,000 units for the fourth consecutive year. Major growth drivers over the past year were Audi’s three biggest export markets, all of which reported double-digit growth: with China up 21.2 percent, the United States up 13.5 percent, and the UK up 14.9 percent. In Europe and China, the four rings again led the premium segment in 2013 as the top-selling brand. Audi concluded the year with a 18.4 percent growth to around 130,700 global deliveries in December, increasing sales in all regions of the world compared to the same month of 2012.

“We set an important milestone for Audi in the past year: We achieved our intermediate strategic goal of 1.5 million deliveries two years earlier than planned, and in fact comfortably exceeded it,” says Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management at AUDI AG: “This means that in the past four years alone, Audi has attracted more than 600,000 new customers.” Luca de Meo, Member of the Board of Management for Sales at AUDI AG, emphasizes the global dimension of Audi’s performance: “Audi achieved new sales records in more than 40 markets last year. In the United Kingdom, we became the leading premium brand for the first time.”

In 2013, growth for Audi was accelerated by the success of the new A3 generation. The model line’s sales total climbed 18.6 percent to around 202,300 deliveries. The Sedan, the latest addition to the A3 family, went on sale in its first markets in September. In China and the United States, the new generation of the A3 will be launched from spring 2014 on. The Q3, Q5 and Q7 SUV models also posted a strong increase in deliveries last year, with the Audi Q5 again clearly outselling its premium competitors. In total, Audi’s SUV sales grew by 23.8 percent to around 438,400 automobiles handed over to customers. Audi will further expand its line-up of Q models in the coming years.

In the United States, Audi’s sales increased last year across all models by 13.5 percent to 158,061 premium automobiles. Strongest growth was achieved by the Q5, up 40.8 percent, and the Q7 full-size SUV, sales of which accelerated by 45.1 percent. This year, the Q3 will join the SUV portfolio supplied by Audi of America. As previously in 2011 and 2012, Audi again broke new records in the U.S. market in every single month of 2013, passing the milestone of 150,000 deliveries for the first time by the end of the year. Since 2009, the company has increased its annual sales in the United States by more than 90 percent. Audi’s dynamic performance in North America is also confirmed by the sales total for 2013 in Mexico, which is up 23.5 percent to 11,712 units and makes Audi the number one manufacturer on the Mexican premium market for the third year in a row.

In Europe, Audi sold around 732,300 automobiles in 2013 (-0.9 percent) and was again the best-selling premium brand on the continent. With this result, business for the four rings was more robust than the overall market performance and only slightly below the record level from 2012, when Audi achieved its best-ever sales in Europe. In the negative market environment in Germany, deliveries for 2013 also remained below the all-time record registered in the previous year: AUDI AG delivered 250,025 automobiles to customers in its home market, 5.0 percent less than 2012. Substantial growth however was reported by Russia which advanced to become Audi’s seventh-largest sales market with 36,150 units (+7.9 percent) delivered. In the UK, 142,039 customers were handed the keys to their new Audi, representing a growth of 14.9 percent and marking a very special first: Audi became the top-selling premium brand in the United Kingdom for the first time in 2013, having doubled its sales in that market within a period of ten years. In 2003, the sales total for Audi UK was 70,107 automobiles. AUDI AG confirmed its leading position in the premium segment in markets that have been especially affected by the economic crisis: In Italy, where sales declined by 6.1 percent to 47,007 cars, in France, where its total was down
8.3 percent to 57,012 deliveries, and in Spain (-3.2 percent to 34,977cars).

In China, Audi continues to extend its market presence and easily beat its annual target of selling more than 450,000 automobiles. Up until the end of December, 491,989 Chinese customers opted for an Audi, 21.2 percent more than in the previous year. This growth was strengthened by the launch of the locally-built Q3 in April. 2013 saw 42,501 Chinese customers become the new owners of a Q3 compact SUV. Along with its big brother, the Q5, the two most popular sedan models from Audi also achieved double-digit growth: Sales of the A4 L increased by 20.0 percent to 120,450 automobiles, and sales of the A6 L by 15.3 percent to 153,163. In addition, AUDI AG further expanded in 2013 its sought-after range of high-performance models in China, with models such as the S6, the S7 Sportback and the RS 5 Cabriolet being introduced onto the market.

Audi likewise closed the past year with a clearly positive sales performance in other important markets of the Asia-Pacific region. In Japan, the company sold 28,735 cars, 20.1 percent more than in 2012. Growth in South Korea even reached 32.7 percent, with 20,031 new cars sold. Despite the difficult market conditions in India, Audi sold 10,002 cars (+11.1 percent) there, becoming the first premium brand to cross the threshold of 10,000 deliveries. Japan, South Korea and India are consequently three of more than 40 markets in which the four rings set a new sales record in 2013.

Mercedes-Benz on record course

• With sales of 1,461,680 vehicles in 2013 Mercedes-Benz delivered more cars to customers than ever before.
• Dr Dieter Zetsche: “We look back on the best year of the Mercedes-Benz brand and have surpassed sales of the previous year by over ten per cent. Our growth strategy is working.”
• The new models E-Class and CLA introduced in 2013 are very well received by customers. The S-Class is the best-selling luxury sedan of the world also in the year of its model change-over.
• The Stuttgart-based premium brand increased its sales in all regions. In key markets such as Germany, the US, Japan and Australia Mercedes-Benz was the best-selling premium brand in 2013.
• Over 100.000 smart fortwo were sold in the last year of its
  life-cycle.

Stuttgart – A very successful year for Mercedes-Benz ended with the highest December sales in the company’s history. During the past twelve months a total of 1,461,680 customers all over the world opted for a vehicle bearing the three-pointed star (+10.7%). In December Mercedes-Benz delivered 139,180 cars (+11.2%). The Mercedes-Benz Cars division recorded total sales of 1,562,472 Mercedes-Benz and smart vehicles in 2013 (+9.7%).

Dr Dieter Zetsche, CEO of Daimler AG and Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars: “We look back on the best year of the Mercedes-Benz brand and have surpassed sales of the previous year by over ten per cent. Our growth strategy is working. In particular in Europe and the US we were able to gain further market shares. The double-digit sales increase in China shows: We are on the right track here as well.”

Product initiative in the compact, premium and luxury segment

Zetsche added: “In 2013 we have charged especially in the premium and luxury class: In the new E-Class we put a true top model on the road and with the new S-Class we have delivered on our promise to build the best car in the world. Furthermore, we also set out again on a path of conquest in 2013: Our sporty CLA coupe wins one out of every two customers from another brand.” In 2014 the company expects additional sales momentum from the full availability of the CLA and the new E- and S-Class in all markets. The product initiative continues: The new C-Class and the compact GLA SUV will come to market in spring. The successors of the smart will arrive at dealerships in the fourth quarter of the year. Mercedes-Benz plans to launch more than 30 new models by 2020.

Strict customer focus in sales

Ola Källenius, Member of the Divisional Board Mercedes-Benz Cars responsible for Marketing & Sales, adds: “Not just our new products will provide growth in 2014. With our marketing and sales strategy ‘Mercedes-Benz 2020 – Best Customer Experience’ we focus even more strongly on what our customers want. In this respect we have already achieved a lot in the past year: Modern inner city concepts and an intensified digital presence have brought us even closer to the customer. We will persistently continue on this path in this year.”

Sales increases on all continents

The brand bearing the three-pointed star recorded growth in all key regions in 2013. The brand increased its sales both in the growth regions and in established markets as well.

Double-digit growth in the US, China and Japan

In the US, Mercedes-Benz recorded a double-digit sales increase (+14.0%) and sold 312,534 vehicles in its largest market. The brand also generated record sales in Canada and Mexico. In China, Mercedes-Benz succeeded in better reaching customers and generating sustained sales growth by bundling the marketing and sales activities under the umbrella of Beijing Mercedes-Benz Sales Service Co. Ltd. (BMBS). In 2013 the company delivered 218,045 cars in China, an increase by 11.1% over the previous year. Mercedes-Benz recorded an increase in sales by 24.4% in this market in December alone. The brand bearing the three-pointed star also achieved excellent sales figures in Japan: With sales of 53,037 vehicles the brand sold one third more cars than in the previous year and thus is the best-selling premium brand in the country.

Gain of market shares in Europe

Mercedes-Benz was able to win additional customers in Europe’s difficult market environment this past year. The premium manufacturer sold 660,566 vehicles (+5.9%) in Europe in 2013. Sales records were achieved in Great Britain (+19.6%), Belgium (+17.3%) and Turkey (+57.3%). In Germany, Mercedes-Benz delivered 255,238 vehicles to customers in the past twelve months (previous year: 261,083 units). In a shrinking market the brand gained further market shares, thus being the premium manufacturer with the highest number of new-car registrations for over two centuries now.

New compact cars continue on the road to success

Mercedes-Benz successfully continued its model initiative in the compact segment in 2013. All in all 371,399 customers opted for a compact car bearing the three-pointed star, 64.0% more than in the previous year. In addition to the A- and B-Class, the compact four-door CLA coupe met with an excellent response. Especially with the A-Class and the CLA-Class the brand specifically opens itself up to new customer groups: One out of every two Mercedes customers of these model series previously owned a vehicle from another manufacturer. The A-Class has a strong appeal in particular for younger customers. In early 2014 the range of compact vehicles will be expanded by an SUV. The new GLA will be the first
Mercedes-Benz SUV to be optionally available with 4MATIC permanent all-wheel drive with fully variable torque distribution.

C-Class continues to be the top-seller

The C-Class held its ground in the segment even in the seventh and final year of its availability. The company recorded sales of 303,416 sedan and estate models in 2013 alone (previous year: 333,126 units). The C-Class has been the best-selling model from
Mercedes-Benz for years. More than 2.2 million vehicles of the current model series have been sold since its market launch in 2007. C-Class sedans sell extremely well in the US, South Africa and the BRIC countries, while there is particular demand for the estate model among customers in Europe. Production of the successor begins in January and it starts with another première. For the first time a Mercedes-Benz vehicle will be produced on four continents: in Bremen (Germany), East London (South Africa), Tuscaloosa (USA) and Beijing (China). The Mercedes-Benz plant Bremen is also the centre of excellence for the new vehicle generation and manages the global production start-up. The C-Class will define a new benchmark in the segment with driver assistance systems otherwise only found in the premium segment. The new C-Class will be presented to the public at the North American International Auto Show in the next few days.

Initiative in the premium and luxury segment: New E-Class and S-Class successful worldwide

With strong sales performance in December Mercedes-Benz ended the year in the E-Class segment: Worldwide 27,833 sedan and estate models were delivered to customers (+33.7%). In all of 2013 there were 242,562 E-Class deliveries (+7.6%). Mercedes-Benz has extensively re-engineered the E-Class this year with new efficient engines, expanded assistance systems and a new design idiom. The new E-Class has been available as sedan and estate models since spring, and since summer also as a coupe and a cabriolet. In China the long-wheel base version of the E-Class has been available for four months now.

Just a few weeks after the model change-over the Mercedes-Benz
S-Class was again the best-selling luxury sedan in the world. The brand’s flagship was segment leader during the whole nine years of its life-cycle. The S-Class coupe and the S 65 AMG will be available as additional variants starting in mid-2014.

SUVs and dream cars with the three-pointed star

With 324,694 vehicles Mercedes-Benz delivered more SUVs to customers in 2013 than ever before (+12.1%). Especially successful was the archetype of them all, the G-Class: Sales of the G-Class tripled between 2009 and today. The GLK (+14.3%), the GL (+29.4%) and the M-Class (+4.4%) also set sales records.

Coupes, cabriolets and roadsters from Mercedes-Benz make automotive dreams come true the world over. A total of 162,610 of these dream cars were delivered in 2013. In comparison with its German key competitors Mercedes-Benz thus has a market share of about 50%. Traditionally Mercedes-Benz is particularly strong with respect to these types of cars. The SLK, the E-Class coupes and cabriolets and the CLS regularly top the lists of new-car registrations in their segments.

Mercedes-AMG records strong growth

2013 was especially successful for the performance brand of Mercedes-Benz. As already in past years, sales of Mercedes-AMG developed extremely positive in 2013 as well. This year saw the 10,000th delivery of a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG to a customer since the market launch of the first super sports car in spring 2010. Not least on the basis of its breath-taking design and acknowledged superb driving dynamics, the SLS AMG is today already deemed to be a classic of the future. The growth was further boosted by an expansion of the product range and the entry of the performance brand into new segments. The world’s most powerful four-cylinder engine produced in series is used in the A 45 AMG and the CLA 45 AMG. Additionally, some models are available as powerful S-Model or with AMG all-wheel drive 4MATIC.

More than 100,000 smart fortwo cars delivered to customers

The two-seat smart fortwo remains a young brand that is in demand even at the end of its life-cycle: With sales of 100,792 units in 2013 the smart car remained nearly at the level of the previous year (previous year: 103,722 units). The smart fortwo electric drive sold very well. The all-electric urban car was the market leader in Germany in 2013. The electric car also proves its mettle in operation at car2go: It accounts for about ten per cent of the car2go fleet numbering some 10,000 vehicles worldwide, and transports thousands of people every day. The market launch of the successors to the smart will be in the fourth quarter of the year.

Overview of sales by Mercedes-Benz Cars

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