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BMW's Feb sales rise 9 pct; hopes on clean tech
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - BMW's <BMWG.DE> vehicle sales jumped 9 percent last month, after falling in January, as the world's largest premium carmaker aims for record sales this year with strong hopes on its emission-saving EfficientDynamics program.
BMW sold 105,994 cars in February, most of which were its BMW brand, where sales rose 5.5 percent to 89,983 units mainly driven by strong demand for the 1 Series model range, it said on Friday.
Sales at BMW's Mini brand surged 34 percent to 15,954 units, thanks to the new Clubman estate model.
In January, BMW's group sales had fallen 1.6 percent as BMW brand sales declined 4.1 percent, while the Mini brand performed strongly.
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Developing fuel-saving technology tops the agenda of Germany's car industry at the moment in light of stricter emission regulations.
The Munich-based carmaker has bundled various features such as downsized engines with start-stop technology, brake energy regeneration, gear shift indicators and tires with higher roll resistance into one package which it calls EfficientDynamics. This is available already in its 1 Series and 3 Series cars.
BMW showcased at the Geneva motor show this week its answer to conventional sport utilities that belch out high amounts of carbon dioxide by unveiling its Vision EfficientDynamics concept study based on its X5 offroader.
Equipped with a lithium-ion battery, the SUV comes complete with a solar cell roof and emits just 172 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer. That reflects a 20 percent reduction over a conventional X5 diesel vehicle.
The group's first hybrid car hits the market next year.
"With EfficentDynamics, we have created a clear competitive advantage for ourselves," Stefan Krause, BMW's head of sales and marketing said in a statement.
BMW aims to sell around 700,000 BMWs and 130,000 Minis in Europe in 2008 with the innovative technology, Krause said.
Rival Daimler <DAIGn.DE> is now looking to use the billions of cash piling up following the Chrysler divorce for possible acquisitions in fuel-saving technology and plans to launch its flagship Mercedes S-Class luxury sedan as a mild hybrid in 2009 using a lithium-ion battery.
It also wants to roll out next year an M-Class full hybrid capable of driving entirely using electricity under certain conditions, using dual-mode hybrid technology developed jointly with GM <GM.N> and BMW.
For a story on lithium-ion battery technology, double click on <ID:nL0543736>
For stories from the Geneva Motor Show 2008, click on <ID:nL29809263>
(Reporting by Eva Kuehnen and Christiaan Hetzner; editing by Rory Channing)