BMW marketing head Ganal sees unit sales growth accelerating in coming months

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW) sales and marketing head Michael Ganal told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung he expects unit sales growth to increase in the coming months thanks to the introduction of new models.

'In the next few months growth will accelerate further which will allow us to extend our leading position,' Ganal told the newspaper, referring to competitors Audi and DaimlerChrysler AG (nyse: DCX - news - people )'s Mercedes.

BMW May unit sales rose by 7 pct to 124,408 from 119,996 in the same month last year.

In a separate interview with WirtschaftsWoche, Ganal said that BMW wants to expand co-operation with Mercedes.

'Both are premium-segment brands, both rely on advanced technology and both are independent, without being the largest manufacturers,' Ganal said, without providing any details on possible joint ventures.

BMW currently develops components for hybrid engines together with General Motors Corp (nyse: GM - news - people ) and DaimlerChrysler.