BERLIN — BMW Group’s global sales dropped by 21 percent to 477,111 in the first quarter as the coronavirus outbreak took a toll on output and many retail outlets temporarily closed.
BMW’s core-brand sales fell 20 percent to 411,809, while Mini volume dropped 23 percent to 64,449. Demand for Rolls-Royce cars fell 27 percent to 853.
Sales of electrified vehicles in the first three months rose 14 percent to 30,692.
BMW said it generated sales growth at the start of the year, but deliveries slowed in the closing weeks of the quarter, eclipsed by the spread of the virus.
“By February, the impact of the pandemic had already led to a significant decrease in sales in China. By March, the effects of the pandemic were clearly visible in sales figures in Europe and the U.S.,” the automaker said in a statement.
The automaker said around 80 percent of retail outlets in Europe and 70 percent in the U.S. were temporarily shut due to the pandemic.
BMW group sales in China, where the outbreak started, were down 31 percent in the January to March period. They dropped by 18 percent in Europe and by 17 percent in the U.S.
Around 95 percent of BMW’s retail outlets in China are now open for business, the company said.
