JANUARY SALES - WORLDWIDE - BMW - all brands shows growth, around the globe.

• 142,154 vehicles delivered to customers, increase of 7.0%
• Robertson: Further growth in 2015 anticipated
• Schwarzenbauer: MINI will build on momentum in 2015

Following on from a record-breaking 2014, where the BMW Group delivered more than two million vehicles, 2015 has got off to a good start with sales up 7.0% compared with the same month last year. A total of 142,154 BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce vehicles were delivered to customers in January, a new high for the month (prev. yr. 132,906).

“This is a positive start, building on the success of last year,” said Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Sales and Marketing BMW. “Looking ahead, we are aiming for further growth in 2015, despite still challenging economic conditions in some markets. There are a number of very exciting model launches coming up this year and our target is to increase global sales for a fifth successive year,” Robertson added.

BMW sales were higher than any previous January: 124,561 BMW brand vehicles were delivered to customers, 6.3% up on the same month last year (117,178). 4,247 customers took delivery of the recently launched 2 Series Active Tourer and demand for the new BMW 4 Series vehicles remains strong with a total of 8,537 delivered worldwide. The success of the BMW X family also continues. 

A total of 4,555 BMW X4s were sold in January while the BMW X5 saw significant sales growth of 40.9% compared with the same month last year (12,035 / prev. yr. 8,540). Sales of the BMW X6 showed positive growth with 2,889 delivered worldwide, 2.5% up on the previous year (2,819).

In the first month of the year, sales of the innovative BMW i vehicles totalled 1,845. Around the world, 1,416 customers took delivery of a BMW i3 while sales of the BMW i8 in January totalled 429.

Overall sales of MINI brand vehicles were also higher than ever before in January, with the brand achieving double-digit growth of 12.0% compared with the same period last year (17,373 / prev. yr. 15.510). “Following on from our core model change last year, MINI is aiming for sustainable growth in 2015,” said Peter Schwarzenbauer, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for MINI, BMW Motorrad and Rolls-Royce. 

“The strong sales of the new MINI 3 door and 5 door models we saw in the fourth quarter have continued into the new year and I am confident that these and other new upcoming models will see MINI building on this momentum throughout the year,” Schwarzenbauer added. Sales of the new MINI 3 door are up 33.6% on the same period last year, totalling 7,502 units (prev. yr. 5,616) and the new MINI 5 door model was delivered to a total of 3,876 customers worldwide.

Following the strategy of balanced sales across the globe, the BMW Group saw sales increase in almost all regions.

Deliveries of BMW and MINI models in Asia were up 6.6% compared with January last year (54,188 / prev. yr. 50,841) with several markets contributing to the growth. Deliveries in Mainland China increased by 7.9% (40,081 / prev. yr. 37,137) while sales in South Korea rose 16.9% (4,045 / prev. yr. 3,460).

In the Americas, a total of 27,450 BMW and MINI vehicles were delivered to customers (prev. yr. 25,977 / +5.7%). Sales in the USA totalled 22,209, an increase of 6.8% (prev. yr. 20,796). Sales in Brazil grew by a significant 18.5%, with a total of 1,139 customer deliveries (prev. yr. 961).

The positive growth seen in Europe in 2014 continues into January, with the region posting sales up 8.5% on the same month last year. A total of 55,676 new BMW and MINI vehicles were delivered to customers in the region in January (prev. yr. 51,333). Double-digit growth was recorded in a number of markets. 

Sales in Scandinavia were up 11.5% compared with January last year with a total of 3,300 vehicles delivered to customers (prev. yr. 2,959). Similar sales growth was seen in the Netherlands, where 1,820 vehicles were sold in January (prev. yr. 1,639 / +11.0%). Positive growth was also achieved in the BMW Group’s home market in Germany, where 19,396 new BMW and MINI vehicles were registered (prev. yr. 18,760 / +3.4%).

The year has started very positively for BMW Motorrad. A total of 6,263 maxi-scooters and motorcycles were delivered to customers, a sales increase of 15.2% compared with January last year (prev. yr. 5,438).

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BMW Group sales in January 2015 at a glance

	In January 2015	Compared to previous year
BMW Group Automobiles	142,154	+7.0%
BMW	124,561	+6.3%
MINI	17,373	+12.0%
BMW Motorrad	6,263	+15.2%

Bentley Motors named top employer for the fourth year running.

• Recognised as one of the best amongst UK organisations
• “Exceptional employee conditions and nurtures and develops talent throughout all levels of the organisation”
• Multi-million pound site expansion creates 300 new jobs for Bentley

For the fourth consecutive year, Bentley Motors has been named as one of Britain’s top employers by the Top Employers Institute.

Bentley has been awarded for its commitment and dedication to the personal development of its 3,800 colleagues working at the Crewe headquarters, and was particularly praised for its focus on the career and succession planning of its workforce.

Marlies Rogait, Member of the Board for Human Resources, said: “We are working on the next generation of Bentleys, starting with our SUV, the Bentayga, and this recognition reinforces that our business and colleagues share the commitment to performance, quality and engineering excellence our cars are renowned for. We are proud to be awarded with Top Employer status once again and to be recognised for our continuous efforts in development and training.”

Strengthening the company’s focus on development, Bentley has recently implemented an upskilling programme. The programme broadens and enhances the skills of Bentley colleagues, focusing on core competencies within the business. Tools include the introduction of training islands, taking advantage of master trainers, and adopting a dual education approach for trainees.

Bentley also announced in December that it was expanding its footprint at the company’s headquarters and creating new jobs. In a £40 million investment, a new research and development centre will generate 300 new positions.

To support the company’s future investment in its employees and the community, Bentley is playing a pivotal role in bringing a University Technical College to Crewe. Focused on Engineering and Design, the college will offer an inspiring education for 14-18 year olds seeking a pathway to future employment.

The latest ‘Top Employer’ award closely follows the company’s record breaking year. Delivering 11,020 cars in 2014 and with growth in every region, Bentley strengthened its position as the world’s most sought after luxury car brand.

The World Car Awards nominations have been announced.

The journey on The Road to the World Car continues with today’s announcement of the finalists in all five award categories.

This release kicks off the countdown for the 2015 World Car Awards (the WCAs) prize-giving ceremony to be hosted by the New York International Auto Show (NYIAS), Bridgestone Corporation and Autoneum on Thursday, April 2, 2015. Winners of the 2015 World Car of the Year, World Luxury Car, World Performance Car, World Green Car and World Car Design of the Year will all be declared at this time.

A jury of 75 distinguished international automotive journalists selected the following finalists in the World Car of the Year, World Luxury Car and World Performance Car categories by secret ballot, based on their experience with each candidate as part of their professional work. For more details about our jurors, and their outlets please visit our web site: www.wcoty.com and click < Jurors.

The international accounting firm KPMG tabulated the jurors’ ballots and announced the finalists on the evening of February 9.   

The 2015 World Car of the Year (WCOTY) will be selected from the following ten finalists listed in alphabetical order:

• BMW 2 Series Active Tourer                  
• Citroën C4 Cactus
• Ford Mustang
• Hyundai Genesis
• Jeep Renegade
• Mazda2
• Mercedes-Benz C-Class
• MINI 5 door / MINI 4 door
• Nissan Qashqai
• Volkswagen Passat

The 2015 World Luxury Car will be chosen from one of these top ten finalists:

• BMW i8
• BMW X6
• Cadillac ATS Coupe
• Cadillac Escalade / ESV
• Kia K900
• Lexus NX
• Lexus RC
• Lincoln MKC
• Mercedes-Benz S Coupe
• Range Rover Autobiography Black LWB

The 2015 World Performance Car top ten finalists are:

• Audi S1
• Audi S3
• Audi TT / TTS
• Bentley Continental GT Speed
• BMW M4 Coupe / M3 Sedan
• Corvette Z06
• Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat
• Jaguar F-TYPE R Coupe
• Lexus RC-F
• Mercedes-Benz AMG GT

The 2015 World Green Car category is handled differently. Five experts in “green” technology were appointed by the World Car Awards Steering Committee to extensively review all documentation and specs associated with each candidate on the list of nominees.  The experts then create a short-list of finalists for review by the 75 jurors in their second round of voting this month. 

The finalists for 2015 are:

• BMW i8
• Hyundai x35 / Tucson Fuel Cell
• Kia Soul EV
• Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine
• Volkswagen Golf GTE

The five experts on the advisory panel are in alphabetical order: Phil Berg (USA - PopularMechanics.com); Richard Bremner (UK - Autocar magazine), Claus-Peter Koeth (Germany - automobil-industrie.de); Yumi Kawabata (Japan - environmental journalist) and John Voelcker (USA - GreenCarReports.com).

Cars eligible for the 2015 World Car Design of the Year award are taken from the list of World Car candidates or may be included as a stand-alone entry provided the vehicle is available in quantities of at least 10 in one major market during the period beginning January 1, 2014 and ending May 31, 2015.  Candidates may be pre-production or all-new production.

Again, a design panel consisting of five highly respected world design experts was asked to first review each candidate, then establish a short-list of recommendations for the jurors. The design experts are: Masatsugu Arimoto (Japan – Freelance design journalist); Silvia Baruffaldi (Italy – Auto & Design magazine); Gernot Bracht (Germany – Pforzheim Design School); Sam Livingstone (UK - Car Design Research and Royal College of Art) and Tom Matano (USA - School of Industrial Design at Academy of Art University in San Francisco).

The five finalists chosen for the jurors are:

• BMW 2 Series Active Tourer
• Citroën C4 Cactus
• Mercedes-Benz C-Class
• Porsche Macan
• Volvo XC90

The Road to the World Car began in Paris on October 2, followed by a stop in Los Angeles for a test-drive of the North American contenders in November, and continues with the finalists’ announcement. The next stop is at the Geneva International Auto Show on Tuesday, March 3 when the top three finalists in all categories will be announced.   The journey ends at the New York International Auto Show on Thursday, April 2^nd, 2015 when all winners are declared.

Kia to display 11th European Design Studio concept at Geneva Motor Show.

• Concept to be unveiled at the 85th Salon International de l’Automobile in Geneva on 3 March 2015
• D-segment model is the 11th concept car created by Kia’s European design studio
• The concept has been created as a spacious and versatile accessory to an active lifestyle

Kia Motors Europe will exhibit a stylish new concept car at the 85th Salon International de l’Automobile in Geneva on 3 March 2015.

This new D-segment model is the 11th concept car created by Kia’s European design studio in Frankfurt, Germany. With confident, powerful lines which sweep elegantly from Kia’s hallmark ‘tiger-nose’ grille towards the rear of the vehicle, Kia’s new concept car embodies modern design and refined, understated energy.

The concept has been created as a spacious and versatile accessory to an active lifestyle, as a purposeful, energetic design study for the style-conscious, and as a sanctuary from the stresses of the modern world.

AUDI hits the Two Million milestone in the UK after 50 years.

Fifty years after its first domestic delivery Audi UK has registered an A3 Sportback plug-in hybrid as its two-millionth car sale

• First Audi model codenamed F103 reached the UK in 1965, when the brand sold just 32 cars
• Two millionth car sold by the UK importer is an A3 Sportback e-tron plug-in hybrid
• Sales success achieved through more than two decades of strong and virtually unbroken growth –  2014 was no exception with a record 158,987 sales

When just 32 cars bearing the four rings found homes in the UK in 1965, it would have seemed improbable that an incredible two million more would follow, but this major milestone has today been reached by Audi UK almost fifty years later.

The first four-ringed car sold to a UK customer was a ‘compact executive’ in a model range of just one, internally codenamed the F103 and publicly known simply as ‘The Audi’. It was to be the springboard for a range that in 2015 numbers some 51 model types ranging from subcompact city cars to ten-cylinder supercars, and which has recently welcomed the A3 Sportback e-tron, the brand’s first ever plug-in hybrid and the two millionth car to be handed over to a UK customer.  

As parent company Audi AG edges ever closer to selling two million cars globally in a single year – around 1,741,000 cars were delivered to customers worldwide in 2014 – its UK importer has just cumulatively broken through the two million barrier buoyed by more than two decades of recession-resistant sales strength, during which time its trajectory has been upward in all but three years. From a base of just 14,344 cars in 1991, the brand exceeded 100,000 annual sales for the first time in 2007, and in 2014 posted a total of 158,987 deliveries. 

Director of Audi UK André Konsbruck marked the momentous occasion by saying: “It’s hugely gratifying for the team in the UK to reach this significant milestone in the brand’s history in the UK, but it’s the contributory figures lying behind the headline number which really speak volumes about our recent past and our future aspirations. 

Domestically the brand has risen from humble beginnings in the Sixties to become the leader in the premium segment, and the last two decades have delivered virtually constant, and in all but three years record-breaking, growth. These are really robust foundations on which we plan to build consistently and substantially with the help of an ever expanding portfolio of models.”

Ingolstadt born and bred

‘The Audi’ which projected the green shoots of this abundant growth was built by Auto Union AG, the conglomerate whose emblem contained a ring representing each of its four constituent companies Audi, DKW, Horch and Wanderer. 

It was assembled at the company’s Ingolstadt plant in Bavaria, Germany, which remains the headquarters of the modern day Audi brand to this day, and it was the first car to leave the production line with a four-stroke engine rather than the more commonplace two-stroke design. In terms of horsepower, the 1700cc engine produced 72PS, a fraction of the 570PS available in the most powerful production Audi to head the current range – the limited edition R8 LMX. 

Priced at £160,000 OTR, its 5.2-litre V10 powerplant is capable of propelling the supercar to 62mph in just 3.4 seconds and on to a top speed of 198mph.

Available as a two-door ‘coupé’, four-door saloon or estate, ‘The Audi’ was essentially the precursor to the Audi 80 and 90, which went on to form the conceptual basis of the A4, the compact executive saloon which sparked a revolution for the Audi brand in 1995 and began to decisively cement its position as a fully fledged member of the premium sector establishment.

Two million cars further down the line, the model that has posted the milestone for Audi UK combines a conventional 1.4-litre TFSI petrol engine with an electric motor to deliver the potential for up to 176mpg with CO₂ emissions of just 37g/km.

The latest electric plug-in hybrid variant of the Audi A3, which was crowned World Car of the Year in 2014, can run exclusively on electric power for up to 31 miles at speeds of up to 80mph, or can be powered by petrol combustion alone. When the two power sources are combined, an overall operating range of up to 584 miles is possible. The battery powering the electric motor can be charged by plugging the A3 Sportback e-tron into a home wallbox for as little as two hours and fifteen minutes.

SUZUKI RECALL - Further update on Celerio brake issues.

Following a condition experienced when carrying out an emergency braking test from high speed by Autocar magazine on a private road test facility on 30^th January, Suzuki carried out an immediate investigation into the cause and is now in a position to provide further information to its customers and media. The Celerio model went on official sale in the UK on 1^st February.

Suzuki GB PLC issued a Safety Recall Campaign on Monday 2^nd February at 9.00am and suspended sales of the vehicle in the UK. All dealers were immediately notified to directly contact customers who had recently taken delivery of their new vehicle.

The Safety Recall relates to a possible fault in the brake pedal release mechanism. A rectification by Suzuki Motor Corporation is currently being implemented and delivery of modified brake components is expected in the coming weeks.

Safety is of the utmost importance to Suzuki and it expects to return vehicles to customers as soon as is possible. Suzuki would like to take this opportunity to apologise to its customers and also thank them for their understanding and patience regarding this issue.

Customers with any further questions regarding their Celerio model should contact Suzuki Customer services on 0500 011959 or contact their supplying Suzuki dealer.

Want a new SUV from VW, then NOW is the time, apparently.

• Special offers add extra value to SUVs from 13 to 27 February 2015
• Tiguan and Touareg models ordered during event receive three years’ free servicing^^

Volkswagen is launching a number of special offers across its SUV ranges this month, meaning there has never been a better time to buy a Tiguan or Touareg model.  On top of competitive deals already available to buyers purchasing an SUV between now and 31 March 2015, during the half term event which runs at participating Retailers from 13 to 27 February, there’s the added bonus of three years or 30,000 miles free servicing^^.

The offers start with Volkswagen’s compact SUV, the Tiguan, which is available with a deposit contribution of up to £2,750**, and monthly payments on Solutions PCP (Volkswagen Financial Services’ personal contract plan) from £265 and 4.9 per cent APR representative.  

Popular and well-specified, all Match and R-Line Tiguan models now benefit from standard touchscreen satellite navigation.  Protection Packs, comprising front and rear mats, a boot mat and mud flaps are also available to ensure the new car stays looking new for as long as possible.

Customers with their eye on Volkswagen’s range-topping SUV, the new Touareg, which went on sale in August, can save up to £5,000^** off the list price of the car.  The Touareg is of course available on Solutions too, with monthly payments from £459 with 7.0 per cent APR representative.  A bespoke Protection Pack is also available for the Touareg.

What’s more, during the half term event, all Tiguan and Touareg orders will benefit from three years or 30,000 miles free servicing^^.  This is not linked to Solutions, and so is available on all retail orders placed between 13 and 27 February.

The SUV campaign is being supported by national advertising, encouraging potential owners to ‘Treat yourself, not the kids’ this half term.  For full details, terms and conditions, finance examples or to find your nearest participating Retailer, please go to www.volkswagen.co.uk.

Solutions PCP^# representative example for a Tiguan 1.4 TSI BMT S 5 door 2WD

(based on 10,000 miles p.a.)

Duration 35 monthly payments of  Deposit  Deposit contribution   (Total deposit      Retail cash price Acceptance fee Optional final payment    Option to purchase fee Total amount payable Total amount of credit Representative APR Rate of interest

3 years £265.00 £3,726.32 £2,750.00 £6,476.32) £21,960.00* £125.00 £7,822.46 £60.00 £23,633.78 £15,483.68 4.9% APR 4.30% fixed

Solutions PCP^# representative example for a Touareg 3.0 V6 TDI 262 R-Line

(based on 10,000 miles p.a.)

Duration   35 monthly payments of      Deposit Retail cash price Acceptance fee Optional final payment Option to purchase fee Total amount payable Total amount of credit Representative APR Rate of interest

3 years £459.00 £12,897.20 £43,215.00* £125.00 £19,206.43 £60.00 £48,228.63 £30,317.80 6.9% 6.65% fixed

* These prices reflect the Volkswagen UK tactical discount available until 31 March 2015.

^£5,000 off offer is available on all 262PS engines regardless of trim, 204PS engine attracts a £3,000 off offer.

^#At the end of the agreement there are three options: i) retain the vehicle: pay the optional final payment to own the vehicle; ii) return the vehicle; or iii) replace: part exchange the vehicle, subject to status.

**Deposit contribution is available when purchased on Solutions Personal Contract Plan^^  Free servicing is available up to 3 years/30,000 miles (whichever comes first) when purchased on Solutions Personal Contract Plan.  Offer available for vehicles ordered by 27 February 2015 from participating Retailers.  Retail Sales only. Available to 18's and over.  

Further charges may be payable if vehicle is returned.  Offers are not available in conjunction with any other offer and may be varied or withdrawn at any time.  Subject to availability.  Terms and conditions apply.  Finance subject to status.  Accurate at time of publication [09/02/2015].  Freepost Volkswagen Finance.