German automaker BMW's Middle East sales rose 8.1 per cent to 7,035 last year, reported the Gulf News.
Revenues were up a "satisfying" 30 percent, aided by big gains posted by the top-of-the-line X5 and 7-series, a senior BMW official was quoted as saying by the daily.
The Gulf markets provided the momentum, particularly in the second half of last year, said the official.
The UAE, said the paper, was the largest market with 1,718 cars, followed by Saudi Arabia (982) and Kuwait (955).
"We could have sold another 500 if we had enough shipments coming through. But our plants are running at full capacity and we were just not able to quench the demand," regional managing director, Robert Bailey-McEwan, said.
BMW had worldwide sales of 822,181 last year from 751,272 in 1999. Group revenues were 35.36 billion euros.
"Even now we are out of stock of core models in some markets, which is irritating to our existing and potential customers. We are doing everything we can to correct the situation,” McEwin said – Albawaba.com
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