Article Summary
- BMW is off to a rocky start of the year as demand slipped by 4.6% to 496,050 vehicles through March.
- An influx of new models like the i3, next 3 Series, next X5, and 7 Series facelift could turn things around.
- The iX3's ramp up could also improve sales figures in the three remaining quarters of 2026.
The first three months of the year weren’t exactly great for the German luxury brand. Through March, BMW sales fell by 4.6% to 496,050 units. Of that total, 47,544 were either M Performance or full M models, with the M division down 5.9% compared to the same period last year.
Sister brand MINI had a much better Q1 2025, with sales rising by 5.9% to 68,427 vehicles. As for Rolls-Royce, the BMW Group’s flagship brand posted a weaker first quarter, with deliveries falling by 8% to 1,271 vehicles. Overall, the BMW Group recorded a 3.5% decline in Q1 2026, shipping 565,748 units.
Demand in the United States for BMW and MINI fell by 4.3% to 90,492 vehicles, while the broader Americas region saw a 4% drop to 109,639 cars. The situation wasn’t any better across Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, where sales slipped by 8.3% to 74,415 units.
Predictably, the downward spiral in China continues, with shipments dropping by 10% to 143,958 units. Nevertheless, China remains the company’s largest single market. It’s not all doom and gloom, as BMW and MINI sales in Germany rose by 10.7% to 68,022 cars. Across Europe, demand increased by 3% to 236,422 vehicles.
Although the January–March figures aren’t stellar, the core BMW brand has reasons to remain optimistic. A second shift at the Debrecen plant means more iX3 units are on the way to customers across Europe. The i3 sedan will enter production in August, with deliveries scheduled to begin this fall.
On the combustion-engine side, we’re a week away from seeing the 7 Series facelift alongside its fully electric i7 sibling. This summer, BMW will roll out the next-generation X5 together with the first-ever electric iX5. A new 3 Series with gasoline and diesel engines is also due this year. However, deliveries of the “G50” may not begin until late 2026 or early 2027.
While the 7 Series LCI is unlikely to move the needle given its high asking price, the 3 Series (G50) will be vital from a volume perspective. The iX3, i3, and X5/iX5 are also expected to have a significant impact on sales. That said, the full effect of these launches likely won’t be felt until 2027.
We haven’t forgotten about BMW Motorrad, which reported a 4.2% decline in Q1 2026 to 42,735 motorcycles and scooters.
