The BMW Group is reflecting on another positive year in the Middle East, in which sales were heavily dominated by the successful launch of the all-new 7 series, which came to markets in October 2015. The brand’s flagship model crossed the 5,000-unit barrier for the first time, selling 5,098 cars, corresponding to a 69 percent increase over 2015 figures.
Commenting on another successful year for the brand, Johannes Seibert, managing director for BMW Group Middle East, said: “2016 was the year of the 7 Series. It was the best year ever for our flagship model, and feedback from media and customers has been overwhelmingly positive. Customers appreciate the combination of sportiness, quality, finesse and refinement, along with an ample array of innovative features. Also, several top hotels, airlines and airports have also decided to choose the 7 Series for their VIP shuttle services.”
Overall, the BMW brand increased its market share within the premium segment in 2016 to 29 percent. Figures showed a 3 percent increase in share across the region compared to 2015 as well as segment gains for the brand across most individual markets — the UAE performed the best with a 5 percent growth, followed by Oman and Lebanon.
“The past year has been challenging for several reasons, not just for the automotive sector but for business overall,” Seibert commented. “However, building on our strong brands, attractive and innovative products, and with the excellent retail services and ongoing investment into our brands by our importer partners, we have been able to strengthen our position within the premium segment in the Middle East throughout 2016. Our performance underlines the unwavering confidence that customers have in our brands. We will continue to be innovative, dynamic and stylish and build long-term solid partnerships in order to achieve sustainable success.”
The brand’s top-end models continue to be in demand, with the BMW X model family once again playing a key role in the brand’s growth, collectively accounting for 60 percent of BMW’s total sales. Now in its third generation, the BMW X5 alone sold 9,133 cars and was the most sought-after model in the Middle East. Another top seller, not only for the range but for BMW overall, was the BMW X6 Sports Activity Coupe, with 3,271 cars delivered to customers across the region last year. Other models in the range that helped fuel the brand’s growth included the X4 and BMW X1. The BMW X4 increased its sales by 66 percent on last year’s figures, while the BMW X1 grew by 268 percent, strongly driven by the new generation model that arrived in the last quarter of 2015.

Source: Arab News