BMW Global Sales Rise 3% to All-Time High

BMW AG sold 191,300 BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce vehicles worldwide last month, surpassing the previous all-time high of 185,700 units in March 2012.

The BMW brand also had its best month ever in March with a 4% gain to 159,200 vehicles. Demand dipped 2% at Mini and advanced 3% at Rolls-Royce.

In the January-March period, group volume grew 5% to 448,200 vehicles, marking the strongest quarter in the company's history. BMW brand sales offset declines at Mini and Rolls-Royce.

Quarterly demand for the BMW marque climbed 7% to a record 381,400 vehicles. The brand's growth was propelled by surges of 20% to 109,300 units for 3 Series cars and 28% to 37,700 units for X1 small crossovers. The gains widened the make's global sales lead over luxury rivals Audi and Mercedes-Benz through March to 11,900 vehicles and 56,500 units, respectively.

Group volume in the first three months of 2013 set records in BMW's two largest markets: China (+8% to 86,100 units) and the U.S. (+4% to a 79,000 vehicles). Demand also increased in, Japan (+7% to 15,000 units), South Korea (+17% to 8,900 units) and the Middle East (+28% to 6,300 units).

BMW Group sales across Europe edged up 3% to 207,100 vehicles in the first quarter, despite a 4% decline to 63,700 units in Germany. Volume in Russia jumped 21% to 9,400 vehicles.