This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on February 2, 2016.

KUALA LUMPUR: German premium carmaker BMW Group’s Malaysian operation, BMW Group Malaysia, is optimistic that the company’s sales this year will exceed last year’s, underpinned by new launches, like the highly anticipated all-new BMW 7 Series, which is now available in Malaysia.

“This year is going to be a strong year for us and I believe our sales will bounce back. We still have a lot of new cars to be launched towards the end of the year,” said BMW Group Malaysia’s newly appointed managing director and chief executive officer Han Sang Yun.

“As of now, the GKL (large luxury class) series, and of course our flagship product — the BMW 7 Series — will have [a] halo effect because these are the top-of-the-level [products],” he added.

Still, given the current sluggish economy, the group expects growth to remain in the single-digit range, though Han said the group will continue to strengthen the brand and bring in more value to customers here.

“The brand will continue to strengthen, and our sales and marketing team is working with our public relations to make a new story for BMW Malaysia,” he told pressmen after unveiling the all-new BMW 7 Series sedan, now in its sixth generation, last Friday.

Last year, BMW Group Malaysia sold 9,368 vehicles, a 4% year-on-year (y-o-y) growth compared with the 9,046 units it recorded in 2014, though its sales of BMW cars slipped 3.75% y-o-y to 7,515 units from 7,808 units.

The better performance was largely due to stronger motorcycle sales, which registered a 88.2% y-o-y growth to 1,097 units from 583 units, followed by MINI’s 15.4% y-o-y rise in sales number to 756 units from 655 units.

Earlier, Han unveiled two variants of the new BMW 7 Series — the BMW 740Li and BMW 730Li — which started retailing in Malaysia on Saturday.

The all-new BMW 740Li is available in black sapphire, cashmere silver, mineral white, sophisto grey and imperial blue. Its retail price starts from RM888,800. The BMW 730Li is also available in the same colours — except for imperial blue — and jatoba. It is priced from RM698,800.

But in celebration of the group’s 100th anniversary this year, Han said BMW Group Malaysia is offering the two new models at special prices of RM788,800 for the BMW 740Li and RM598,800 for the BMW 730Li — an exclusive offer only for cars registered within the year.

“As a leading premium automotive brand in the country, our aim has always been to create value for our customers. With this objective in mind, we are launching the all new BMW 7 with a special 100-year anniversary pricing, which is only limited to cars registered within this year,” Han said at the launching of the BMW 7 Series last Friday.

“BMW Group celebrates its 100th-year anniversary in 2016, and it is very appropriate that we begin our centenary celebration year here in Malaysia by introducing our flagship model — the all-new BMW 7 Series. We shaped the future of the premium automotive industry here with BMWi, as well as established the fact that premium performance and dynamic vehicles in the country should only carry the most powerful letter in the world — M,” said Han, referring to the group’s performance car division, i.e. its sports cars.

“Now, we are redefining the perception of driving luxury in the Malaysian premium automotive industry with the all-new BMW 7 Series, which has also recently been shortlisted as a finalist for [the] 2016 World Luxury Car of the Year.”

On a separate matter, Han said the group will maintain the prices of its vehicles for now, unless the ringgit breaches the 5.0 level against the euro.

“Should it go up to the RM5- or RM6-range level against the euro, we will make appropriate decisions,” Han said in response to whether the group plans to revise car prices amid currency volatility.

On the government’s customised incentive for energy-efficient vehicles, Han said the group had applied for the incentive and is still waiting for the results.

“We hope to hear the decision soon. The decision will be announced this year,” he added.