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BMW set to produce 500,000th 1-series car

Wednesday, 31 Oct 2007 15:38
BMW set to produce 500,000th 1-series car
German car manufacturer BMW has announced it will produce its 500,000th 1-series car within the next few weeks.

The company claims this motoring milestone is evidence there is a sustainable market for luxury small cars in several key areas.

"To reach half a million vehicles in three years is a remarkable achievement," said BMW's chief financial officer Michael Ganal.

"Now we are expanding the range further with the launch of the Coupe and the Convertible which will follow next spring."

When BMW launched the vehicle in 2004, it seemed there was little space for another small, rear-wheel-drive, premium vehicle in what is one of the largest and most contested sectors of the market.

"With rear-wheel-drive we have shown that there is room for an alternative," continued Mr Ganal.

"The 1-series is a typical BMW, elegant and sporty, but in the small car segment."

There is now a belief within the company the small coupe market will grow.

BMW will now target a new 1-series coupe – which is currently being launched at the Copenhagen auto show - on the American and British markets.

BMW has also set its sights on selling 25,000 coupes annually, with at least half that number going to the USA.

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