BMW dominates premium automotive segment with 33% market share

Asian Carmakers Corp. (ACC), the official importer and distributor of BMW in the Philippines, solidifies its No. 1 position in the luxury segment, achieving the lion’s share of the market for 10 straight years. BMW finished 2012 with a 33-percent market share in the luxury segment, mirroring a global trend that saw the BMW Group, which posted an 11-percent increase year on year, in its highest record ever.

“We thank the Filipino market for embracing BMW, granting us the honor to be the undisputed leader in the luxury-vehicle segment for a decade.   This gives us a reason to celebrate and strive more to give the best that BMW has to offer to the Philippines,” said Maricar Parco, ACC president.

2012 is a banner year for BMW as it broke new grounds and set new records.

In June 2012, BMW posted its highest sales of 106 units, dominating the segment with a 41-percent market share that month.

In the first half of 2012, BMW held the groundbreaking ceremony of its fourth dealership in Metro Manila, at the Eton Centris in North Edsa, which is set to be operational this year.

Expanding its footprint, BMW also inaugurated two dealerships outside Luzon: the Autowelt BMW in Cebu and the Autobahn BMW in Talisay, Bacolod, bringing the tally of BMW dealerships to seven nationwide.

Major product launches

To keep in step with evolving market preferences, BMW held two major product launches in 2012. In the first half of the year, BMW launched the All-New BMW 3 Series, the bestselling vehicle in the BMW vehicle line-up. In September, BMW launched the All-New BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe, the first four-door coupe in the history of the BMW brand.

Beyond providing a luxurious driving experience to clients, BMW also took to heart its role as a good corporate citizen in 2012. In May, it served as the official premium mobility sponsor at the 45th Annual Meeting of the Asian Development Bank, the Philippines’ biggest economic event hosting of the year. BMW provided a fleet of BMW 5 Series vehicles to visiting heads of state for this event.

BMW also provided support for the Jose Ch. Alvarez Technology Complex in Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan, a P72.3-million modern technological education facility, in order to bring the skills of Filipino technicians to world-class standards.

At the core of BMW’s growth in the Philippines is the strength of its products, the key to BMW’s success.

The 3 Series, BMW’s biggest volume driver whose sixth-generation model was introduced to the Philippines in May, continues to be the segment leader with a 38-percent market share for 2012, making it the highest-selling model and brand in its class.

The 5 Series, on the other hand, posted a 39-percent year-on-year growth and dominated with a 37-percent market share for the year.

“We are very proud of the success of the 3 Series and 5 Series in the past year. The market leadership of these two models affirms the solid reputation of the BMW brand: the 3 Series in terms of sporting prowess, elegance and comfort; and the 5 Series when it comes to fuel efficiency, safety and unparalleled performance,” said Glen Dasig, ACC executive director for sales and marketing.

“This is just the beginning; we hope that  our success and leadership in the past ten years will be  a foundation and a promise of even better services and products in the coming years,” Parco said.