February was very close to flat with monthly year-on-year sales numbers up a scant 0.3% while incentive spending increased to almost $4,500 per unit delivered. Looking more closely into the numbers, the X-1, categorized as a passenger car, not a light truck, masked yet another decline in the passenger cars, echoing the broader US buyer shift from cars to CUVs, SUVs and trucks. But the overall growth, although small, was at least positive. The entire US light vehicle sales declined 1.1%, despite increases in customer support compared to last year.

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When it comes to the other luxury brands, the news is mixed as well. BMW USA underperformed the index as a whole, which grew 2.5%. Mercedes-Benz increased it’s lead as the luxury sales leader, but Lexus had a bad month, dropping over 20%, leaving BMW with a solid grip on the #2 luxury sales slot. It’s true that the new 5-series hasn’t been out all that long and isn’t really showing up in the sales numbers, let’s hope there’s a noticeable sales bump next month, as the 5-series is BMW’s second-best selling model, after the 3-series. And for 2017, it’s been selling about half as many as in 2016. It’s important for this car to do well.

BMW_NA_2017__Feb_Sales_Numbers

As we’ve come to expect, used car sales are doing very well. At over 38,000 units sold in 2017, used sales are within spitting distance of new car deliveries!

So, do you think that BMW has the right product mix now? Do you think that the new 5-series will reverse the decline in passenger car sales? Sound off in the comments!

Official News: Woodcliff Lake, NJ – March 1, 2017… Sales of BMW brand vehicles increased 0.3 percent in February for a total of 22,558 compared to 22,498 vehicles sold in February, 2016. Year-to-date, the BMW brand is up 0.2 percent in the U.S. on sales of 40,667 vehicles compared to 40,580 sold in the first two months of 2016.

“March is the real beginning of the automotive selling season in the U.S. and BMW is well positioned for success with the right mix of vehicles and with the launch of the all-new 5 Series now underway,” said Ludwig Willisch, Head of BMW Group Region Americas. “The trend towards Sports Activity Vehicles is strong but so is demand for the new 5 Series, especially the new M550 which goes on sale in the Spring along with the hybrid-electric 530e.”

Notable vehicle sales in February include the new BMW 5 Series with 2,731 cars, the BMW X1 which increased to 2,050 vehicles, and the BMW X3 which increased to 4,020 vehicles.

BMW Group Sales
In total, the BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported February sales of 24,712 vehicles, a decrease of 2.5 percent from the 25,337 vehicles sold in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date, BMW Group sales are down 1.6 percent on sales of 45,931 vehicles in the first two months of 2017 compared to 46,657 in the same period in 2016.

BMW Pre-Owned Vehicles

  • February 2017 sales of BMW Certified Pre-Owned set a February record with 11,260 vehicles, an increase of 30.2 percent from February 2016.
  • Total BMW Pre-Owned sales also set a February record with 20,256 vehicles, an increase of 36.1 percent from February 2016.
  • Total BMW Pre-Owned cars sold year-to-date were 38,475, a 34.4 percent increase from the first two months of 2016.