• More than 33,000 cars sold across 12 countries
• BMW X models drive sales and remain strong competitors in their segments
• MINI Countryman and Hatch models drive MINI sales

The BMW Group is reflecting on another positive year in the Middle East, with 33,516 BMW and MINI cars sold across 12 countries, representing an 11% increase in sales over 2014.

The company witnessed growth in almost all markets, with the UAE performing the best in terms of volume sales with 20,090 cars delivered to customers across all the Emirates, followed by Saudi Arabia with 4,125. Other strong performers included Kuwait with 2,845 and Qatar with 1,756 car sales. Meanwhile, the biggest individual growth came from Lebanon with a 42% increase, followed by Abu Dhabi with 36%, Jordan with 28%, Oman with 13% and Qatar with 10% sales growth.

Highlighting the continued strength and desirability of the brands across the region, despite an increasingly challenging and highly competitive automotive market, Johannes Seibert, Managing Director for BMW Group Middle East, said: “Our year-end performance shows a healthy growth across the region, underlining the unwavering confidence that customers have in our brands. Our portfolio of exceptional products and innovative technologies, as well as the excellent retail services offered by our importers, have proven the ideal combination and are all driving factors behind our success.

The brand’s top-end models continue to be in demand, with the BMW X model family playing a key role in the brand’s growth. All remained strong competitors within their respective segments and accounted for 55% of the total sales – the BMW X5 alone sold over 10,109 cars. The newest member of the family, the second generation BMW X1, made its Middle East debut at the Dubai International Motor Show, and is expected to further drive sales of the range in 2016 with its increased space for passengers and luggage, a cutting-edge premium ambience and functionality grounded in solid engineering.

Another best-seller was the all-new sixth generation flagship BMW 7 Series, which went on sale in October. Its combination of state-of-the-art comfort with dynamic agility and styling alongside innovative design and technology features both inside and out is already driving interest across the region which is expected to continue into 2016. The Middle East also retained its position as the third biggest BMW 7 Series market in the world after China and the USA.

MINI also experienced a successful year in the Middle East with 1,806 cars sold across eight markets, a 12% increase on 2014 figures. Model sales were driven by the MINI Countryman – the first MINI with optional ALL4 All-wheel drive making it ideal for tackling both urban and off-road terrains – followed by the MINI Hatch, which accounted for 66% of the total sales and the MINI John Cooper Works, its third biggest seller.

The all-new MINI Clubman, which was recently unveiled to regional audiences at the Dubai International Motor Show, marks a new chapter in the brand’s illustrious history, perfectly embodying MINI’s new, more grown-up visual identity. It offers increased dimensions both inside and out, and a spacious and matured design. Distinct British craftsmanship paired with world-class BMW engineering and top-shelf finishes, the MINI Clubman is an everyday car for every occasion. It offers a pure statement of style and confidence, with more than 10 million unique combinations from the MINI Yours programme so that each Clubman can be tailored to fit the distinct personality of its owner. Other innovative features include the novel projection of the MINI logo from the exterior mirror on the driver's side when opening and closing the car.

In response to the challenges that have surfaced in the ever-changing and highly competitive automotive market over the past years, BMW Group has introduced a reinvented and revolutionized strategy to secure its position at the very forefront of the industry. While the marketplace has become over crowded with brand messages and an abundance of purchasing choices, the car manufacturer has focused on the evolution of customers’ buying behavior when forming its new strategy to remain in poll position.

With the global implementation of its Future Retail Strategy, BMW Group strives to create a premium experience within its showrooms that will ultimately intensify customer relations. To achieve this, BMW Group has taken a closer look at the customer experience, both as a whole but also by reviewing each touch point throughout the customer journey. Based on the customer behavior at every contact point, the foundation for Future Retail took shape.

BMW Group importers across the Middle East have already begun implementing select phases of the Future Retail Strategy. Markets including Dubai, Oman, Qatar and Jordan have already appointed a Product Genius to help enhance the customer journey, while the remaining stages of the strategy are being rolled out across all Middle East and Levant markets. Once the complete Future Retail Strategy has been fully rolled out, customers will feel a substantial difference at every single touch point throughout their showroom experience.