BMW celebrates 2005 growth

Turnover increased by 18.9% over 2004 at € 1.223 billion - the highest ever in the history of the company.

The company was particularly successful in Spain (8,003 units) with an increase of 48.1% as compared to the previous year, followed by Great Britain/Ireland (5,651 units) with a 21.7% increase and Italy with growth of 11.4%. With 12,700 motorcycles sold, Italy equals the level of the US (12,803). This makes the two countries the second largest sales markets for BMW motorcycles after Germany (24,064).

For the largest motorcycle manufacturer in Europe, the continent is also the most important sales market for BMW: 71,920 units were sold there in 2005.

The total market for 500 cc capacity machines and above grew only by 1.1% in 2004 in Europe. By comparison, BMW Motorrad enjoyed a sales increase of 6.3%. BMW Motorrad has a commanding 13% of the European market of machines with engines above 500cc.

The Director of BMW Motorrad, Dr. Herbert Diess, sees the strength of the company in Europe as a natural development: "National borders are becoming less and less important. So for a long time now, BMW Motorrad's home market has not just been Germany alone but the whole of Western Europe."

The development in Italy, Spain and Great Britain is for Diess an important indicator of success in the reorientation of the company: "We are just winning new customers among the younger target groups and in sportier segments in these countries now too."