BMW Australia powers up M growth

BMW Australia managing director Marc Werner has revealed plans to drive local sales growth of the German brand’s M performance products thanks to the addition of a greater number of special editions and SUV models.

“We are shooting for five per cent of our total annual sales when it comes to BMW M series in this market,” Mr Werner said at the national media launch of the M3 and M4 Competition in northern New South Wales.

“If you look at the pure volume figures we sold roughly 1000 M cars last year when we are shooting for 1500 units this year and our intention is to further grow the M business in this market.” BMW Australia volume is up 25 per cent during the first half of the year with 15,754 passenger car and SUV sales. If the trend continues during the second half of the year it would push the German brand beyond 31,000 sales this year, 1600 of which would be reserved for M cars.

“Particularly M sales are strong in this market, (M is) absolutely important here in Australia where we are recognised as a nation of petrol-heads and that’s why BMW M sales are such a success story here in Australia,” he continued.

“Australia is the number three market for M per capita in the world, only outranked by South Africa and Canada. That is excellent news and tribute to the strong demand for BMW M vehicles in Australia.”

Mr Werner confessed that “SUVs play a major role” in the expansion plan, but he stopped short of confirming an M performance model for the new X1 or the next-generation X3 due next year to expand beyond the current X5 M and X6 M duo“We are pretty happy with what we have for the time being and it’s also a question of product complexity, but of course if those models (X1 and X3 M) were available for the Australian market we would definitely raise our hand.

“Whatever becomes available on the SUV side we will take. M certainly is one business unit where we see a lot more potential.”

For now, however, the managing director said there was still an “onslaught” of models to help drive brand growth as both BMW and M sales maintain their ascent.

“We are undergoing an onslaught of new products. There is still plenty more to go, for example the M3 30 Year edition, roughly 30 units have been allocated to Australia and almost all of them have been sold. The M4 GTS, the product allocation of 25 units for our market we are completely sold out.

“The product onslaught will continue as we move into the second half of the year.”