BMW’s 3 Series G20 sedan and G21 Touring remain the bread and butter for the Bavarians in Germany. According to the latest registration report, BMW sold 5,331 units of the 3 Series in November 2020, while also extending the lead over the Audi A4 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class. The next best seller for BMW was the front-wheel drive 1 Series (3,078), followed closely by the X1 Sports Activity Vehicle (3.047). Despite the pandemic and all of its implications, the G20/G21 3 Series numbers are higher than in November 2019.

Furthermore, the registration report shows that the 1, 4, X1, X5, X6 and i3 are also above November of the previous year. Things are even more surprising when it comes to the BMW i3 which sold to 546 customers in November 2019 and 1,302 units last month. The demand for the BMW i3 electric vehicle continues to be strong in the United States as well with many dealers reporting a lack of units available.

For the first eleven months in 2020, the new registrations of BMW cars in Germany fell 14.9 percent, while the overall market even shrank by 21.6 percent. But despite the turnaround, the 1 and 5 Series, along with the X6 and X7 have showed an increase in sales.

The corona pandemic had several effects on the automotive market in 2020. On one hand, the car production and sales came to a halt in Spring 2020, but it quickly recovered in the Summer with most markets reporting very little inventory left. The reason behind this has to do with a shift from public transportation and car sharing to once again owning your own vehicle. Clearly, that’s something that none of us were able to foresee last year.

Whether the alternative means of transportation will recover in 2021, it remains to be seen. But nonetheless, the automotive industry still has a future and the numbers should reflect that next year.

[Source: BimmerToday]