Diesels dominate BMW sales

Diesels made up 54 percent of BMW’s 2008 New Zealand sales, compared to 36 percent in 2007 and 27 percent in 2006.

And for the first time, the 1-Series hatchback, the smallest car in the BMW range, was the marque’s best-selling model in New Zealand. Among the 1-Series variants, the diesel-engined 118d was the top seller.

BMW NZ managing director, Mark Gilbert, says the “key to our success has been the ability to achieve fuel efficiency gains in our internal combustion engines that outperform even the most frugal hybrids without compromising the trademark BMW drive experience.”