The small EV officially exited the US market in the summer of 2021, but this one hung around a bit longer.
Automotive sales figures for Q1 2024 are pouring in, and BMW holds the distinction of having the first zombie car in the group. Amid all the data for sedans and SUVs sits a curious line for the i3, a vehicle that went out of production for the US market in July 2021. At some point during the first three months of the year, a brand-new i3 found a buyer.
We don’t know where it was or how it was equipped. If you happen to be BMW’s newest i3 owner, drop us a comment or email our tips account (tips@motor1.com) and tell us all about it. We’re curious about how the battery’s held up and why it took so long to sell. The last time we saw i3 data on a BMW sales chart was in 2022, when nine were sold. None were sold in 2023, so we suspect this particular Bimmer has an interesting story to tell.
The lone i3 isn’t the only interesting tidbit on BMW’s first-quarter sales report. The 2 Series is up 155.8 percent, with 3,538 sold versus 1,383 last year. That’s still well behind the 4 Series at 8,847 sales. But the gap is closing, as the 4 Series was down 26.3 percent year over year. The 5 Series and 7 Series were also down in sales (8.8 and 10.2 percent, respectively), while the 3 Series is up 24.6 percent. With all the scales balanced, BMW logged a 2.4-percent increase for the period.
The same can’t be said for Mini. Numbers were down across all models save for one: the Cooper Convertible. Sales reached 1,193 units, an increase of 27.2 percent from 2023. Unfortunately, it’s negated by double-digit drops from nearly every other model, leaving Mini as a brand down 12.6 percent for the quarter.
Despite that, BMW sees the initial months of 2024 as a success.
“We’re off to a good start in 2024 and confident that the quality of our vehicles and diversity of our product lineup will continue to drive our success,” said Sebastian Mackensen, BMW CEO for North America. “Not only do we offer BMW customers the ability to choose the vehicle and drivetrain that best suits their needs, but through our nationwide dealer network, we also ensure a premium customer experience.”
