MÜNCHEN (dpa-AFX) - BMW saw an uptick in deliveries in 2025, with the group handing over 2.46 million vehicles—a slight increase of 0.5 percent, according to company figures. Sales in Europe and the USA, along with strong performance from the Mini sub-brand, shielded BMW from another year of declining deliveries.

In contrast, China continued to weigh heavily on the numbers. The ongoing market weakness there, which has also affected other German manufacturers, had already prompted BMW to issue a profit warning in the autumn.

Specifically, the Munich-based group delivered 1.02 million cars in Europe last year, an increase of 7.3 percent over the previous year. In the USA, deliveries reached 417,638 vehicles, up 5 percent. However, sales in China dropped by 12.5 percent to 625,527 cars. Sales chief Jochen Goller described it as a "challenging environment." This was evident in the fourth quarter as well, where performance lagged behind the full-year results.

Tariffs in the USA Not Passed on to Customers

BMW's ability to grow in the USA over the full year may come as a surprise at first glance, given the high tariffs imposed on vehicle imports from Europe. However, BMW benefits from its large US plant in Spartanburg, which produces roughly half of the BMWs sold in the country. Additionally, the company has not passed the burden of these tariffs on to customers through higher prices—good news for sales, though it puts pressure on margins.

A look at the brands reveals a mixed picture. The Mini sub-brand saw a robust increase of 17.7 percent to 288,290 vehicles, while the core BMW brand posted a decline of 1.4 percent to 2.17 million cars. Rolls-Royce maintained nearly stable sales at 5,664 units.

CO2 Fleet Target Achieved

Growth in electric vehicles, which had previously driven BMW's numbers with strong gains, has slowed: there was still a modest increase of 3.6 percent to 442,072 units. In the past, growth rates were typically much higher.

The recent introduction of the new class of vehicles—unveiled last autumn but only now available—may have played a role, as customers could have been waiting for the newer, more modern models. Based on current electric vehicle sales, sales chief Goller said BMW is "fully on track to meet our EU CO2 fleet target for 2025."

Likely Outperforming Mercedes and Audi

With these latest figures, BMW appears to be leading its German premium rivals in terms of sales. Mercedes and Audi have yet to report their 2025 numbers, but since both were significantly down after the first nine months, it is unlikely they will post any growth./ruc/DP/jha