graph First-quarter revenues, sales volume and earnings of the BMW Group all improved sharply compared to the previous year. Group revenues grew by 8.1% to euro 12,443 million (first quarter 2009: euro 11,509 million). The profit before tax increased to euro 508 million (first quarter 2009: loss of euro 198 million), while the profit after tax improved to euro 324 million (first quarter 2009: loss of euro 152 million). The profit before financial result (EBIT) was euro 449 million (first quarter 2009: loss of euro 55 million). The total number of BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brand vehicles sold increased by 13.8% to 315,614 units (first quarter 2009: 277,264 units).

“The BMW Group has made a good start to 2010. We increased earnings significantly in the first quarter and are now back on a growth course on almost all car markets”, stated Norbert Reithofer, Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG on Wednesday in Munich. “The BMW Group continues to make good progress with its Strategy Number ONE”, he added.

With demand for premium vehicles rising and the launch of new BMW 5 Series certain to add momentum from the second quarter onwards, the company can look forward to the remainder of the year with some optimism: “We expect that earnings will grow dynamically over the course of the year”, Reithofer pointed out.