BMW Group Q3 2026: Europe and the US Grow, China Slows – and Every Third Car in Europe Is Electric.

The BMW Group has published its sales figures for the third quarter and the first nine months of 2026. The picture is split: growth in Europe and the US, significant losses in China. And right in the middle, a model that is breaking every record – the new BMW iX3.

Key Figures at a Glance

From January to September 2026, the BMW Group delivered 1,707,799 vehicles worldwide, a decline of -4.9% compared with the previous year. In the third quarter alone, deliveries totalled 551,072 units (-6.3%).

A look at the regions shows where the momentum is – and where it isn't:

Region (BMW & MINI)	Q3 2026	vs. prior year	Jan.–Sept. 2026	vs. prior year
Europe	235,628	+2.7%	732,279	+4.5%
Germany	74,697	+2.1%	224,149	+7.5%
USA	106,741	+2.5%	307,402	+3.4%
Americas total	129,190	+2.6%	373,234	+2.8%
China	114,355	-24.8%	376,128	-21.8%
"Fourth Pillar"*	70,830	-10.8%	222,556	-10.0%

*Asia-Pacific, Eastern Europe, Middle East, Africa

Europe and the US are growing, while China and the remaining markets are pulling overall sales down.

EV Boom in Europe: Every Third Vehicle Is a BEV

The most interesting figure in the release concerns electric mobility. In the third quarter, the BMW Group delivered 110,257 fully electric vehicles worldwide – an increase of 7.2%.

In Europe the curve was far steeper: 81,941 BEVs represent growth of +37.5%. That means every third BMW Group vehicle delivered in Europe in Q3 was fully electric (34.7%). In Germany, BEV sales even rose by +38.5%.

For context: across the full nine months, global BEV sales of 314,552 units are still slightly down (-2.7%). Q3 therefore marks a clear turnaround – and it has one name above all.

The BMW iX3 as Growth Driver

According to BMW, the new BMW iX3 – the first series model of the Neue Klasse – has collected more than 100,000 orders in Europe alone within a year. BMW calls it the most successful market launch of any model in the history of the BMW Group.

Sales board member Jochen Goller sums it up: the iX3 is delivering "strong growth impulses in the market", while customer interest in the new BMW 3 Series and BMW X5 is also high. The Neue Klasse and its technologies, he says, strengthen the company's position for the challenges ahead.

The next step for China has already been announced: the China version of the new BMW iX3 will launch there in November. Whether it can slow the downward trend in the largest single market will be one of the key questions for the fourth quarter.

The Brands in Detail

BMW: The core brand delivered around 1.48 million vehicles by the end of September (-6.4%). Europe was up +1.4%, the US even +4.3% – in an overall declining market, driven by the BMW X models. In China, BMW lost -21.2%, which according to BMW reflects the development of the Chinese car market as a whole.

BMW M: BMW M GmbH reached 148,510 vehicles in the first nine months (-6.1%). Notably, M volume remained stable in the shrinking Chinese market.

MINI: The bright spot in the portfolio: 220,247 vehicles since the start of the year mean an increase of +6.8%, with a BEV share of 37.2%. Tailwind came from the John Cooper Works models and the MINI Paul Smith Edition; MINI expects further impulses from the new Countryman Untamed Edition. One caveat: in Q3 alone, MINI was slightly below the prior year with 70,712 units (-2.4%).

Rolls-Royce: The luxury brand delivered 3,592 vehicles from January to September (-12.4%), and -18.0% in the third quarter.

BMW Motorrad: 149,452 motorcycles and scooters were delivered (-6.1%). In Q3, the decline was steeper at -12.5%.

Assessment

The headline "Growth in Europe and the USA" is accurate – but it only tells half the story. Globally, the BMW Group is losing volume, mainly because of China, where sales have dropped by more than a fifth.

At the same time, Q3 shows that the Neue Klasse strategy is working: the iX3 is pushing electric sales in Europe sharply upward, and with the new 3 Series and new X5, the next volume models are already lined up. The fourth quarter, with the iX3's launch in China, should show whether the Neue Klasse can make the difference in the toughest market, too.

Note: The delivery figures are preliminary and may change until publication of the BMW Group Report 2026.

Source: BMW Group press release, 13 October 2026

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