BERLIN (Reuters) – Volkswagen and BMW reported world 2020 gross sales figures early Tuesday, demonstrating the consequences of the worldwide pandemic on the auto business, which hit mainstream producers particularly exhausting.
Volkswagen mentioned on Tuesday that gross sales of its core model dropped by 15% to five.3 million automobiles in 2020 because the outbreak of coronavirus and lockdowns imposed to limit infections hit automobile dealerships world wide.
VW mentioned it had seen gross sales recovering in December in comparison with earlier months, rising by 19.5% in western Europe and 14.7% in North America. It added that demand for its electrical fashions jumped by 158% on the 12 months, to 212,000 automobiles.
However even luxurious manufacturers weren’t immune. BMW mentioned it noticed a 8.4% drop in world automobiles gross sales in 2020 because the outbreak of coronavirus took its toll and lots of stores world wide have been closed for months.
Nevertheless, buyer demand picked up within the fourth quarter, rising 3.2% year-on-year, BMW mentioned on Tuesday.
“We’re nicely on the best way to reaching our aim of turning into the market chief in battery electrical automobiles,” VW model CEO Ralf Brandstaetter mentioned in an announcement.
For the 12 months as a complete, Volkswagen model gross sales fell by 23.4% in western Europe and by 17.1% in North America, whereas the smallest drop was in China, at 9.9%.
BMW mentioned it noticed a 8.4% drop in world automobiles gross sales in 2020 because the outbreak of coronavirus took its toll and lots of stores world wide have been closed for months.
“We succeeded in concluding the 12 months with a powerful fourth quarter and as soon as once more we lead the premium section worldwide,” BMW board member Pieter Nota mentioned in an announcement.
In complete, BMW bought 2,324,809 automobiles final 12 months. In Europe, 2020 gross sales have been down 15.7% and in the USA 18%.
In China, the place the pandemic began and the place it was introduced underneath management quicker than elsewhere, BMW’s 2020 gross sales bucked the development and elevated 7.4%.
