BMW Group reported a 6.3% drop in third-quarter vehicle deliveries to 551,072 units, as persistent pressure in the Chinese market offset sales growth in Europe and the United States.
The German automotive group, which owns the BMW core brand, Mini, Rolls-Royce and a motorcycle business, said overall sales fell 6.3% in the quarter, with deliveries totaling 551,072 vehicles.
European automakers are struggling with a shrinking Chinese auto market, where intense competition has triggered a prolonged price war.
BMW and Mini brand vehicles posted a 2.7% sales increase in Europe and a 2.5% rise in the United States, but sales in China plunged 25% to just 114,355 units.
BMW said the figure reflected the overall performance of China's auto market. "Business in China remains challenging," the company said.
BMW's German peers Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Volkswagen have also recently reported weaker sales in China.
BMW added, however, that demand for pure electric vehicles increased, with the BMW iX3 serving as a positive growth driver in the third quarter. "The new BMW 3 Series and BMW X5 have also been highly favored by consumers. The momentum from our Neue Klasse models and Neue Klasse technologies will strengthen our ability to meet future challenges," said Jochen Goller, BMW's head of sales.
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