√Australia in Top Three globally for sales of BMW M cars

The boss of BMW M says Australia is a key market for the brand’s performance cars, with a high percentage of BMWs sold here wearing the fabled M badge.

Australia remains one of the biggest markets for BMW M cars in the world, according to global BMW M boss Frank van Meel.

In Australia for a flying visit, Mr van Meel told Drive our market ranks as one of the top markets in the world in terms of the percentage of BMW sales that are M cars.

“[Australia is] in the top three [with] 25 per cent M vehicle sales,” Mr van Meel told Drive.

“That’s more or less one of the strongest markets for M we have [in terms of percentage].”

In terms of raw volume, the United States remains M’s biggest market, with Germany and the UK in second and third place.

“Volume-wise [Australia is], of course not as big as the United States, but it is for us an important market [with] volume in the top 10 or top 15.”

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While Mr van Meel wouldn’t be drawn on precise numbers, 25 per cent volume of total BMW sales in Australia translates to about 5600 M cars reported as sold in 2022, based on the German brand’s annual sales figure of 22,696.

Mr van Meel is predicting sales of M cars globally will continue to grow in 2023: “We’re quite optimistic we will hit the 200,000 [sales mark].”

BMW is banking on strong sales of its new for 2023 models, the all-new M2, the new M3 Touring station wagon and the XM, a V8-powered plug-in hybrid SUV. The XM is the first dedicated BMW M car since 1978’s original M1.

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