KUALA LUMPUR (April 20): BMW Malaysia Sdn Bhd handed over 3,000 vehicles to customers in the first quarter of 2018 (1Q18), an increase of 15% compared with the 2,600 vehicles delivered in 1Q17.
Of the total deliveries in 1Q18, the BMW brand deliveries climbed 18% year-on-year (y-o-y) to 2,500 units, while Mini brand deliveries grew 6% y-o-y to 220 units and BMW Motorrad was up 2% with 260 motorcycles delivered, said BMW Group Malaysia head of corporate communications Sashi Ambi.
The premium automaker's X Family cars also showed substantial headway in 1Q18, growing 39% year-on-year with 1,000 units delivered.
Ambi said while BMW Group Malaysia is positive for the second quarter, it remains cautious of the current political, social and economic trends that will affect the ecosystem.
"We currently produce eight BMW models with 11 variants (in Malaysia)," he told a press conference after the launch of the all-new BMW X3 today.
Ambi added that BMW Group Malaysia plans to export BMW's 3 series, 5 series and 7 series models to its nascent markets in Vietnam and the Philippines by 3Q18.
This year, only 200 BMW cars were directly exported from Germany to Vietnam and the Philippines.
BMW Group Malaysia managing director and chief executive officer Harald Hoelzl said the all-new BMW X3 sports activity vehicle will be the first X Family car to be locally assembled in the country, a move the group said further emphasises Malaysia as the hub for BMW Group in Southeast Asia.
"With over two generations of the BMW X3, we have delivered more than 1.5 million vehicles to lead the segment all over the world. Today, the all-new BMW X3 is set to continue to write the next chapter in BMW's success story in the premium segment," he added.
The all-new BMW X3 is introduced in the variant of the BMW X3 xDrive30i Luxury. It offers colours of Terra Brown, Black Sapphire, Glacier Silver and Alpine White.
The all-new BMW X3 will be available at all authorised BMW dealerships nationwide from April 25, with deliveries commencing in July.