International Dealer News IDN 147 February/March 2019 | Page 15

news ROOM France (16,615 units), Italy (14,110 units), Spain (11,124 units) and the UK/IE (9,224 units), as well as the USA (13,842 units - another record high). BMW says it is continuing to expand in China and Brazil, too. With 7,561 BMW motorcycles and scooters sold and a growth rate of over 35%, China together with Brazil (7,361 units/+11%) are among the markets with the strongest growth. In India, with 2,187 units sold in 2018, the BMW Group’s own sales subsidiary has successfully established itself following the start of business there in 2017. For the first time more than 51,000 units of the R1200/1250 GS and GS Adventure travel enduros were sold. With a total of around 84,500 units, “the traditionally strong R Series once again confirmed its leading position in the overall range”, with the R nineT model variants also playing a significant role in 2018. Some 18,773 units of the sports- oriented BMW S Series were sold worldwide, with the S 1000 RR Supersports, the S 1000 R Power Roadster and the S 1000 XR Adventure “showing that they continue to be an important pillar in the BMW Motorrad range”. Below 500 cc, 24,363 units of the G 310 R and G 310 GS models that were introduced in 2017 were sold in 2018 - both being among their “Top Five” sellers. “Sales of the 6-cylinder models are also developing very positively. In its second year of sales, the K 1600 Bagger, which is tailored specifically to the US market, is proof of the unbroken trend towards large- capacity, emotional touring bikes,” said Timo Resch, BMW Motorrad Head of Sales and Marketing. “With 8,306 units sold and a 25% increase in sales, our 6-cylinder models were among our big winners in 2018. “The USA especially is an important market for these models. We will continue to increase our involvement in the US in order to strengthen BMW Motorrad’s position there. We will respond to the special market requirements in the USA with a further highly emotional and very authentic BMW Motorrad product.” BMW says it is offering its “most powerful product portfolio of all time in 2019” and that it is in “excellent shape all round. We expect to see further growth in sales for our vehicles in 2019 and we expect our new products from the R 1250 Boxer family, the much anticipated new S 1000 R as well as the F 850 GS Adventure, all to be received positively. We are also expanding our urban mobility product range with the market launch of the C 400 X and C 400 GT scooters”. Stockholm Motorcycle Expo moves to Swedish National Arena The modest if welcome growth in most of the mainstream sectors of the PTW and wider powersports market in Sweden has raised hopes for the prospects of MC Massan in January. The annual expo alternates between Stockholm and Gothenburg, with January 25 – 27 slated for the 2019 show, but at a new venue – the Friends Arena at Solna in the northern Stockholm suburbs – Sweden’s National Arena, adjacent to the giant Mall of Scandinavia. "Friends Arena gives us new opportunities to develop the fair as an overall experience for the visitors," says Niklas Kristoffersson, CEO of the Motorcycle Industry Trade Association in Sweden, McRF. "We believe the move will both give a boost to the traditional audience while attracting new enthusiasts. With its central location in northern Stockholm, with excellent connections to and from the whole region, we believe that the Friends Arena opens the show up for even more visitors from all of Sweden’s most populated regions. The neighbouring Mall of Scandinavia is a tourist attraction in itself and suitable for an excursion for the whole family. www.mcmassan.se INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - FEBRUARY/MARCH 2019 15