Article Summary
- BMW had a great quarter in the United States, with total deliveries rising by 13% to 102,713 units.
- Aging models like the 3 Series, X5, and X6 preformed surprisingly well.
- The now-discontinued X4 was the slowest-selling product, while the XM wasn't far behind.
There are winners and losers whenever an automaker publishes a sales report, and BMW’s latest figures for the United States are no exception. The Q2 2026 results are in, showing what worked and what didn’t between April and June. Overall, BMW rose 13% to 102,713 units, with crossovers and SUVs predictably doing all the heavy lifting.
There are some pleasant surprises. Even though Z4 production has already ended, the roadster doubled its volume in the second quarter compared to the same period last year. BMW sold 1,099 units, up 100.9% from Q2 2025. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to assume the model’s long-announced demise prompted more people to buy the soft-top roadster while they still could. The Final Edition also likely contributed to the last-minute sales spike. On a similar note, the now-discontinued 8 Series rose 8.5% to 1,103 cars.
Even though it has one foot in the grave, the 3 Series had an excellent second quarter as well. The sports sedan climbed 56.8% to 10,542 units, and through the first half of the year, the aging G20 is up 32.3% to 18,731 vehicles. Although BMW has yet to unveil the next-generation model, the G50 is expected to break cover in the coming months. However, it might not reach America until sometime next year. Meanwhile, M3 G80 production is reportedly continuing until the end of next summer.
The Old BMW X5 Is Still Going Strong
Speaking of aging products that are still popular, the venerable X5 grew 41.6% to 22,874 vehicles. Through June, the G05 is up 23.7% to 41,554 vehicles compared to the first half of last year. Earlier this week, the G65 officially debuted ahead of its U.S. launch this October as the X5 40 xDrive. The rear-wheel-drive X5 40, plug-in hybrid X5 50e xDrive, and fully electric iX5 60 xDrive will follow in the first quarter of next year. A V8-powered M Performance version is due later in 2027.
The X5’s swoopy sibling also had a great second quarter. Despite getting up there in years, the X6 jumped 72.3% to 3,567 vehicles. Year to date, the G06 is up 45.1% to 6,822 vehicles. Its replacement, the rumored G66, is unlikely to arrive before 2028.
Slowest-Selling Models
What about the slowest-selling BMW? That “title” goes to the X4, with only 136 units sold. However, that’s hardly a surprise since production ended in 2025. The last G02 rolled off the assembly line in Spartanburg last November. An indirect successor is likely to arrive before the end of the year in the form of the electric-only, Debrecen-built iX4 (NA7).
Elsewhere, the XM continued its modest performance with just 398 vehicles sold in the second quarter. Ahead of its retirement from the United States, the iX remains on a slippery slope, with sales falling 46.8% to 1,657 vehicles. Through June, the electric SUV is down 48.9% to 3,445 units.
There aren’t zombie cars listed in the sales charts, but for whatever reason, BMW still includes the i3 and i8 in quarterly results.
