BMW China Jan-Sept sales up 32% to 62,394 units

Shanghai, October 15 (Gasgoo.com) German premium car marker BMW AG said earlier this week that its sales in mainland China rose 32% year on year (y/y) to 62,394 in the January-September period, Dow Jones reported.

The nine-month sales included the BMW brand's deliveries of 59,400 units and the Mini division's sales of 2,934 units, according to a company statement. September sales of BMW and Mini cars in mainland China totaled 8,131 units, up 35.4% y/y.

BMW Brilliance, a joint venture in China between BMW and Brilliance China Auto, makes BMW 3-series and 5-series models. The BMW 1-series may be also made in China next year. The JV is expanding its production capacity, which will reach 110,000 units by late 2010 from the current 30,000 units.

In August, BMW said it had applied to Chinese regulators for approval to set up an auto financing joint venture with Brilliance Auto, and that it expects the financing firm to become operational in the first half of 2009.

China is now BMW's fourth-largest market after Germany, the U.S. and the U.K. The three German luxury car makers BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi are racing to increase their footprints in China to benefit from the market's growth potential.