[Jason]

BIMMERPOST NEWS

China Expected to Overtake U.S. in BMW Sales in 2013

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With a 1.3 billion population and an increasing affluent middle class, the following bit of news comes as no surprise. If you've been paying attention to recent global sales figures for BMW, you would have seen the writing on the wall.

BMW recently told Autonews that China will probably surpass the U.S. as its top national market in 2013.

In the first half of 2013, BMW delivered more cars in China than in the U.S. and Chinese deliveries are likely to rise about 10 percent for the full year, says Karsten Engel, head of BMW's business in China. BMW delivered 182,800 cars and SUVs (including Minis) in China in the first half of 2013, compared to 172,787 in the U.S. The 182,800 Chinese deliveries represent an increase of 15.0% over the same period last year, while the 172,787 U.S. deliveries represents an increase of 8.9%.

Despite China's cooling economy, BMW expects that strong sales growth will continue for the company with increased sales from smaller cities and the modernizing western regions. "There are 100 cities with more than a million inhabitants in China with no premium car dealers at all, so this shows the huge potential we're having in this country," says Engel.

Audi is currently the top luxury car seller in China, but BMW has outgrown Audi in the past three years, at a rate of +40% delivery increase in 2013 against Audi's 30 percent gain.

BMW will keep its momentum in China going by adding more than 60 dealerships this year, which will result in at least one dealership in each of China's provinces. At the end of last year, the company's distribution network in the country totaled 360 outlets.

[wdeerfield]

i wonder what that will do to the prices of the cars in the US.

[Brookside]

We're already seeing the influence of Chinese tastes in the shape of gaudy chrome items being daubed about on recently made bimmers.
A lamentable trend that pretty much acknowledges the power of China's consumers to influence BMW design.

Basically the M-Sport packages are the default "chrome delete" option.

[Alumac]

Originally Posted by wdeerfield

i wonder what that will do to the prices of the cars in the US.

What has it done for the price of a BMW in China. Nothing....

[conradb]

Having about 4x as many people in your country will probably do that.

[M2COMP]

Originally Posted by conradb

Having about 4x as many people in your country will probably do that.

That's why every new update launches in china, take example of touchpad.

[mkoesel]

I wonder about the sales-by-model. I'd really like to know LWB and GT sales.

[Tåst]

Originally Posted by Brookside

We're already seeing the influence of Chinese tastes in the shape of gaudy chrome items being daubed about on recently made bimmers.
A lamentable trend that pretty much acknowledges the power of China's consumers to influence BMW design.

Basically the M-Sport packages are the default "chrome delete" option.

+1

[dayday]

Originally Posted by mkoesel

I wonder about the sales-by-model. I'd really like to know LWB and GT sales.

Pretty much all 3, 5, 7 series are sold in LWB. There are only limited models are sold with SWB. 7 Series is only available with LWB. 5GT has been selling like hot cakes since release, 3 GT has just gone on sales and apparently is going extremely well.

[mkoesel]

^^^

Right, that's what I figured and is why I'd love to see actual numbers.

[NYAWE60]

I myself am curious as to how this will affect US and Chinese prices.

[dmode]

I am in Shanghai right now and the number of luxury cars in the streets are mind boggling. I was actually thinking today how long before China overtakes US as the #1 market for luxury cars. Audi is so dominant here ( despite double the price compared to a similar US model). I also saw more Rolls Royce being driven by regular people to the mall in 10 days than I did in my entire life. I live in San Francisco now and have lived in LA in the past. So I have seen my fair share of luxury markets. But Shanghai seems to be in a different league.

Also, I am intrigued by the "gaudy and Chinese" comment. I don't see any Chinese people drive around with Chrome wheels and other flashy stuff. BMW's recent design flops have nothing to do with Chinese culture. Stop being ignorant.

[1230vani]

Originally Posted by dmode

I am in Shanghai right now and the number of luxury cars in the streets are mind boggling. I was actually thinking today how long before China overtakes US as the #1 market for luxury cars. Audi is so dominant here ( despite double the price compared to a similar US model). I also saw more Rolls Royce being driven by regular people to the mall in 10 days than I did in my entire life. I live in San Francisco now and have lived in LA in the past. So I have seen my fair share of luxury markets. But Shanghai seems to be in a different league.

Also, I am intrigued by the "gaudy and Chinese" comment. I don't see any Chinese people drive around with Chrome wheels and other flashy stuff. BMW's recent design flops have nothing to do with Chinese culture. Stop being ignorant.

Like your comment.

[ATX78703]

Originally Posted by dmode

I am in Shanghai right now and the number of luxury cars in the streets are mind boggling. I was actually thinking today how long before China overtakes US as the #1 market for luxury cars. Audi is so dominant here ( despite double the price compared to a similar US model). I also saw more Rolls Royce being driven by regular people to the mall in 10 days than I did in my entire life. I live in San Francisco now and have lived in LA in the past. So I have seen my fair share of luxury markets. But Shanghai seems to be in a different league.

Also, I am intrigued by the "gaudy and Chinese" comment. I don't see any Chinese people drive around with Chrome wheels and other flashy stuff. BMW's recent design flops have nothing to do with Chinese culture. Stop being ignorant.

+1. This is fact now. Mainland China has exploded and taken over what Hong Kong and places like Singapore used to be. This is the biggest consumer market for the time being, so get used to soft-riding LWB cars people!!

[Erhan]

Is this mean we in USA will stop getting retarded models for the sake of sales and get some proper cars?

[eMvy]

Originally Posted by Erhan

Is this mean we in USA will stop getting retarded models for the sake of sales and get some proper cars?

Come on, you know the love the M3 Tiger Edition and Carbon Edition [both real]!

[turbolag]

Originally Posted by Erhan

Is this mean we in USA will stop getting retarded models for the sake of sales and get some proper cars?

RWD F31 335i with Manual, hopefully. I can live with have an auto (even though the last one I had was utterly horrible) because of the great 8spd, but I'm unwilling to live with AWD's numbness despite only needing winter tires. And because Euro has this...

[HighConcept]

I agree with what Brookside said to an extent -- I too believe it will influence their approach in design, but more so for the general masses in typical sales vs the more high concept models. Very interesting how this will transpire.

[vladberca]

The Chinese economy is growing very fast so the demand for premium cars is on the same route

[Ezio]

This scares me. The more people that get cars, the more demand for gas etc....

[DASHOCKER]

China is the new superpower. I can tell you the mansions in New York are mostly owned by Chinese. The us dollar will be deeper in the toilet so expect higher priced bmw vehicles

[BananaCar]

Originally Posted by Brookside

We're already seeing the influence of Chinese tastes in the shape of gaudy chrome items being daubed about on recently made bimmers.
A lamentable trend that pretty much acknowledges the power of China's consumers to influence BMW design.

Basically the M-Sport packages are the default "chrome delete" option.

Some ignorant closet racist shii right there!