BMW Sales Approach 2 Million Units

BMW Group sold 1.96 million vehicles last year, up 6% from 2012, as its BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce brands all posted record volumes.

Global sales in December rose 3% to 181,600 units.

The company's BMW brand boosted sales nearly 8% to 1.7 million vehicles last year, capped by 2% growth the 155,800 units in December. Demand for the redesigned 3 Series cars rose 23% to 348,500 units.

Mini sales advanced 1% to 305,000 units, including a 6% increase to 30,500 in December, in 2013. Rolls-Royce sales totaled 3,600 units, up 1%.

The company says its full-year group sales slipped 1% to 859,000 cars and SUVs in Europe. But volume jumped 17% to 576,600 in Asia and 9% to 462,900 in the Americas.

BMW's motorcycle sales in 2013 climbed 8% to a record 115,200 units last year. December sales advanced 5% to 6,300 units worldwide.