BMW Group consolidates five years of 'phenomenal' growth with another record year

With the worldwide increase in sales for all BMW Group brands - a record 1.1 million BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce cars delivered to customers - recently announced at the Detroit motor show, the latest Middle East figures vindicate the company's unwavering pursuit of a clear-cut premium brand strategy. The world's only multibrand car manufacturer to pursue such a strategy, BMW Group's portfolio consists exclusively of premium marques from the small car to the luxury segment.

Speaking at the press conference in Dubai, Lueder Paysen, Senior Vice President, Sales Asia, Pacific, Africa, East Europe, BMW Group, said the Middle East region had successfully consolidated its market position in 2003 after achieving a 38 per cent leap in sales the previous year.

"The Middle East is one of the fastest growing regions in the world for BMW Group and in 2003 our expectations were again completely fulfilled," said Paysen.

The top three Middle East markets, in terms of sales volume in 2003 were the UAE, with 3,188 units sold; Saudi Arabia, 2,213 units sold and Kuwait, 1,500 units sold. Qatar was BMW Group's fastest growing market in the region, recording 33% growth, followed by Bahrain, 32%, Saudi Arabia, 19% and Kuwait, 10%.

The 7 Series was the most popular model in the BMW range, accounting for 35% of Middle East sales, followed by the 5 Series, with 22%, the X5, with 18% and the 3 Series, with 17%.

Reviewing the company's performance in 2003, Robert Bailey-McEwan, Managing Director of BMW Group Middle East, said: "After five years of phenomenal growth during which Middle East sales have increased from 4,898 units in 1999 to 10,251 units today, BMW Group Middle East is still setting new records. The latest available figures show BMW Group as the No1 German manufacturer of premium, high performance luxury cars in the GCC and Levant - a tremendous achievement in what has been a challenging year of regional conflict and a high Euro exchange rate."

Among the highlights of 2003 were the introduction of the 3 Series Coupé, the first BMW model to benefit from adaptive headlights that can "see around corners"; the 5 Series, with its jet fighter style Head Up Display, an instant success with customers; the Elie Saab Limited Edition X5, with interiors by the Lebanese designer best known for his Oscar ceremony gowns; and the 200hp MINI Cooper S Works.

Looking forward to 2004, BMW Group Middle East said it seeks to maintain its position as the fastest growing luxury performance car manufacturer in the Middle East through sharper product differentiation, the completely separate management of its BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands - from design to marketing and distribution - and new, enhanced importer facilities region wide.

The company announced the expansion of the BMW brand in 2004 with the introduction of the new 6 Series Coupé, 6 Series Convertible, an expanded X-range - featuring the new X3 and facelift X5 Sport Activity Vehicles (SAVs) - and the 1 Series.

The BMW brand will be grown in 2004 with the introduction of the 500hp Alpina B7 within the 7 Series range and within the 5 Series with the 520, 525 and 545 models. Meanwhile, a new model of the MINI brand, the MINI Convertible, will see BMW Group expand in the premium small car segment.

Having guided BMW Group Middle East from success to success since his appointment as Managing Director in mid 1998, Robert Bailey-McEwan was overseeing his last Annual Results Press Conference in Dubai. From February 1st, Bailey-McEwan will take up a new appointment at BMW Group's Munich Head Office, where he will assume responsibility for the worldwide parts consulting function and management of the Munich logistics and parts centre covering the Americas, the Far East and Middle East.

After announcing Bailey-McEwan's new appointment, Lueder Paysen introduced his successor as Managing Director, BMW Group Middle East, Guenther Seemann. Seemann is currently Managing Director, BMW Group Greater China and Chief Representative, BMW Group Mainland China. Previously, he was General Manager, Sales Operation, BMW Group Asia, based in Singapore, and from 1994 to 1998 was Area Manager responsible for six importer markets at BMW Group Middle East. He will assume his new appointment from February 1st.

Looking forward to his new assignment, Seemann said: "I'm pleased to be coming back to the region and with our strong product line-up in 2004 we expect to maintain our record-breaking trend."

Paying tribute to Bailey-McEwan, Ehab S. Shouly, Regional Marketing Manager, BMW Group Middle East, said: "In his five years as Managing Director, Robert Bailey-McEwan has overseen an increase in sales of more than 100% and has been instrumental in bringing about BMW Group's ongoing successful growth in the region.

"He has been the driving force behind the company's commitment to local sport, the high points of which were in 2001 when the BMW powered Victory Team became Class 2 World Champions and in 2003 with a third placed X5 Rally Raid car in the Dubai Desert Challenge as well as the announcement of a continuous BMW Driver Training Programme at the new BMW Performance Centre Bahrain, coupled to the BMW Group Middle East's search for the first Arab F1 Champion through the Formula BMW Racing Centre in the same facility at Bahrain International Circuit.

"He has developed the regional office and its relationship with our importers at a time of unprecedented innovation, not only overseeing the introduction of products such as the X5, the new 7 Series and new 5 Series, but in projects such as the establishment of a regional test centre, the introduction of navigation systems in the GCC and the launch of the Clean Energy World Tour for the hydrogen combustion-engined 750hL in the region, as well as marketing initiatives that have consistently raised the bar when it comes to launching and promoting cars in the region."

Underlining BMW Group Middle East's commitment to innovation, Shouly brought the press conference to a memorable close by introducing BMW's new flying car, a BMW 730Li that glided and circled over the heads of media and guests. The flying car, in reality a life-size, precision-controlled balloon, recalled BMW's aviation beginnings and the company's "The sky is the limit" philosophy.