BMW Group Middle East said it has witnessed a six per cent jump in its sales of BMW and MINI series during 2008 in Bahrain when compared to the previous year.

Euro Motors, the exclusive importer of BMW Group in Bahrain, ranked among the top five performing markets for BMW Group regionally.

The growth also signals the importance and strength of the Bahraini market despite the current global economic crisis, said an official.

Paul Yates, general manager, Euro Motors said, “In the current economic climate, where many car manufacturers are suffering losses, a six per cent increase in our sales is testament to the loyalty of our customer base and the strength of the BMW and MINI brands. Our 1 Series and 6 Series models performed particularly well. We look forward to continuing this success in 2009.”

Overall, BMW Group Middle East’s 2008 sales achieved a five per cent increase over its 2007 record-level figures. Across 14 importers in the region, 15,959 BMW and MINI vehicles were sold.

'A five per cent growth during these challenging economic conditions is a significant achievement and in line with our expectations given the softening of demand during the second half of the year.'

'The commitment of our importers coupled with new models launched in 2008 have helped our sales figures remain positive,' said Phil Horton, managing director of BMW Group Middle East.

Yates said the company sees 2009 challenging but consumer demand in the luxury segment still remains healthy. 'We have several new product launches planned for the year,  so we are optimistic that 2009 will be another good year,' he added.-TradeArabia News Service