February 2016 67 www.bahrainthismonth.com The BMW Group’s presence in the Middle East is formidable and the company recently marked a milestone of 33,516 BMW and MINI cars sold across 12 countries, representing an 11 per cent increase in sales over 2014. The company witnessed growth in almost all markets, with the UAE performing the best in terms of volume sales with 20,090 cars delivered to customers across all the emirates, followed by Saudi Arabia with 4,125. Highlighting the continued strength and desirability of the brands across the region, despite an increasingly challenging and highly competitive automotive market, Johannes Seibert, managing director for BMW Group Middle East, says: “Our yearend performance shows healthy growth across the region, underlining the unwavering confidence that customers have in our brands. Our portfolio of exceptional products and innovative technologies, as well as the excellent retail services offered by our importers, have proven the ideal combination and are all driving factors behind our success.” The brand’s top-end models continue to be in demand, with the BMW X model family playing a key role in its growth. All remained strong competitors within their respective segments and accounted for 55 per cent of the total sales – the BMW X5 alone sold over 10,109 units. The newest member of the family, the second generation BMW X1, made its Middle East debut at the Dubai International Motor Show, and is expected to further drive sales of the range in 2016. This leading automaker is reflecting on another positive year in the Middle East. Rise in Regional Growth EURO MOTORS Another best-seller was the sixth generation flagship BMW 7 Series, a model that is already driving interest across the region, which is expected to continue into 2016. The Middle East also retained its position as the third biggest BMW 7 Series market in the world after China and the US. MINI also experienced a successful year in the region with 1,806 cars sold across eight markets, a 12 per cent increase on 2014 figures. Model sales were driven by the MINI Countryman followed by the MINI Hatch, which accounted for 66 per cent of the total sales, and the MINI John Cooper Works, the third biggest seller. The new MINI Clubman, which was recently unveiled to regional audiences at the Dubai International Motor Show, marks a new chapter in the brand’s history, embodying MINI’s more grown-up visual identity. In response to the challenges that have surfaced in the ever-changing and highly competitive automotive market over the past years, BMW Group has introduced a reinvented and revolutionised strategy to secure its position at the very forefront of the industry, the company says. While the marketplace has become over crowded with brand messages and an abundance of purchasing choices, the car manufacturer has focused on the evolution of customers’ buying behaviour when forming its new strategy to remain in poll position. Call 17 750-750.
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