BMW Group Middle East said its sales rose 11 per cent in the first quarter of 2015 compared to the same period last year, with a total of 8,302 BMW and MINI vehicles delivered to customers in 12 Middle East markets.

The news follows a record-breaking 2014 in which the Middle East division delivered more than 30,000 BMW and MINI cars and achieved a year-on-year sales increase of 23 per cent.

The UAE remained the largest market, accounting for 58 per cent of BMW Group Middle East’s total sales. Abu Dhabi was once again the biggest selling market with 3,435 cars sold, followed by Dubai, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates with 1,350 cars sold, and Saudi Arabia with 1,169. Markets that showed strong sales growth included Oman, increasing by 76 per cent and Lebanon by 66 per cent. 

Johannes Seibert, Managing Director for BMW Group Middle East, says: “We’ve had a good start to 2015 and will continue to work closely with our importer partners to strive for further growth in the coming months in order to continue the success stories of BMW and MINI in the Middle East region. Our aim is to provide the most attractive products and to continue investing in services, so that we grow in all areas of our business and end the year with even higher customer satisfaction and more cars sold than in 2014.”

The company’s top-end models continue to drive sales with the X model family playing a key role in the brand’s acceleration across the region. 

The range, which boasts a young model portfolio following the arrival of a number of latest generation vehicles, accounted for 55 per cent of overall Middle East sales, with the BMW X5 alone selling 2,804 cars and the BMW X6 selling 911. 

Meanwhile, the BMW 5 Series was the second best-selling BMW model with 1,158 cars sold and the BMW 4 Series posted sales of 639. The Middle East also retained its position as the third biggest BMW 7 Series market in the world after China and the US, with 624 cars sold.  

The revolutionary award-winning BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sports car, the second model to be unveiled by BMW i, the company’s sub-brand focusing solely on developing sustainable products and mobility services, contributed to the group’s first quarter growth in the Middle East, helping to affirm BMW's leadership as the world's most sustainable premium car company.  

The BMW i8 combines the performance and appeal of a sports car with the fuel consumption and emissions of a small vehicle.

The iconic MINI brand also experienced its best-ever first quarter one sales growth, with a 9 per cent increase on last year’s figures.

Seibert adds: "These robust sales results are testament to our customers’ discerning tastes. BMW and MINI customers enjoy innovative technology and the best quality, plus an overall purchasing experience on a premium level. We look forward to continuing our growth momentum throughout the rest of this year, and continuing to exceed our customers’ expectations."

With its three brands BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce, the BMW Group is a leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 30 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2014, the BMW Group sold approximately 2.118 million cars and 123,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for the financial year 2013 was €7.91 billion ($8.35 billion) on revenues amounting to approximately €76.06 billion ($80.33 billion).