BMW dealer profitability rose 10 percent last year over 2020, the automaker told retailers last week in an NADA make meeting. Despite pandemic-related business disruptions, it was the franchise's most profitable year since 2015.
In 2020, BMW defended its crown as the bestselling luxury brand in the U.S. for the second year in a row. The brand posted record sales in three of the final four months of 2020, BMW of North America Executive Vice President of Operations Shaun Bugbee told Automotive News after the meeting.
The performance showed "we can be adaptive and flexible in this new environment and still drive the OEM's goals, but also align with dealers' profitability targets," Bugbee said.
BMW told dealers that a focus for 2021 will be getting them and consumers ready for BMW's next-generation electric vehicles. In late first-quarter 2022, BMW expects to begin selling its battery-powered i4 fastback and iX midsize crossover in the U.S.