BMW Motorrad has posted the second-best annual sales figures in its history, despite the challenges of a year in which COVID-19 turned the world inside out. Driven by the launch of thirteen new models last year, the company says it was able to deliver over 169,272 motorbikes and scooters to customers in 2020 - its second-best sales result ever.
Dr. Markus Schramm, Head of BMW Motorrad, said: "Following difficult months from March to June, we turned the tide by applying a high degree of pragmatic flexibility and dedicated commitment and, arguably, the best BMW Motorrad product offering ever to produce our second-best sales result ever.
 |
| Albania, "one of the last still largely untouched off-road paradises in Europe". |
"The launch of the BMW R 18 was certainly one of the highlights in 2020. The long-awaited big boxer has been very well received by both the specialist press and by customers worldwide.”
With an increase of +1,224 vehicles sold, German market sales of 27,516 units were a new record, with France also up on 2019 with 17,539 units sold; elsewhere in Europe sales were slightly down with 13,918 sold in Italy, 11,030 in Spain and 7,539 units in Great Britain/Ireland. Overall volume in Europe declined by -5.3% as a whole.
With 11,788 motorbikes and scooters sold (previous year: 8,818 units), BMW Motorrad achieved +33.7% growth in China, 10,707 sold in Brazil (previous year: 10,064 units), with a growth of +6.4% for South American markets overall.
With a total of almost 80,000 units sold, the boxer models continue to form the backbone of BMW Motorrad's success, further strengthened in 2020 with the launch of the 1800 cc displacement R 18.
BMW says that its single-cylinder BMW G 310 R and BMW G 310 GS models "enjoyed unbroken popularity in 2020 - in order to be fit for the future, both models have undergone an extensive revision. With over 17,000 motorbikes sold worldwide, these two agile all-rounders are a permanent fixture in the BMW Motorrad portfolio and contributed to the overall success in 2020".
BMW claims it "hit the bull's eye with the market launch of the new F 900 R and F 900 XR models. With 14,429 models sold, we were able to further expand our strong position in the mid-range segment. Together with the other models such as the BMW F 750 GS, BMW F 850 GS and BMW F 850 GS Adventure, the total share of the two-cylinder series already exceeds 35,000 units".
In other news, the company has announced that its 2022 International GS Trophy will return to Europe - being staged under the "Explore the unexpected" motto in Albania in late summer 2022; the 8th edition of the GS Trophy.
 |
| Following the Roland Sands dragster special and the R 18 conversion by 'Blechmann' (Bernhard Naumann), this latest BMW custom R 18 in its "SoulFuel" series is "Spirit of Passion", by Dirk Oehlerking of Kingston Custom, Gelsenkirchen. |
Described as "one of the last still largely untouched off-road paradises in Europe", 22 international teams and six international women's teams will be selected in the coming months, with qualification events having already been confirmed for Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Japan, Latin America, Mexico, Netherlands, Russia, South Africa, South East Asia, South Korea, United Kingdom and USA - the Chinese team 2020 has received a wildcard because it could not participate in New Zealand in 2020 due to the COVID-19 restrictions in force at the time.
In addition to 'Oceania' in 2020, previous editions have been staged in 2016 in South East Asia (Thailand), 2014 in North America (Canada), 2012 in South America (Chile, Argentina), 2010 in South Africa (South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique) and 2008 in North Africa (Tunisia). In the current edition, 22 teams compete with 60 riders from all over the world. The field of riders is accompanied by the GS Trophy Marshals, media representatives, doctors, sponsors as well as a photo and film crew.
The GS Trophy is not a race but a team competition in which an international line-up of off-road enthusiasts compete together in various special stages. Right after the event, BMW Motorrad will once again be offering "Follow the Trails" tours, where customers can follow in the footsteps of the competition on original GS Trophy motorbikes.
