International Dealer News IDN 114 Aug/Sept 2013 | Page 40

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BMW announce record results and WSBK exit
IT is hard to know who has been the busier so far this year - BMW’s Berlin factory or its Munich based management! First of all the factory, following record sales last year (up by some 15 percent on 2011), the company appears to be ontrack for another record year with the announcement that it is up by 9.7 percent in the first six months of 2013 at 64,941 vehicles, (against 59,189 for the first six months of 2012); with June this year being up by 22.1 percent (at 12,541 vehicles for the month, against 10,271 in June 2012). Meanwhile BMW’s management has also had a manic first six months. Following January's announcement of a “long-term strategic realignment of the brand” that started with the sale of Husqvarna (which it only bought in 2007), in order to exit the dirt bike market in favour of new priorities in the urban and e-mobility sectors, the company capped the first half of the year with its announcement that this will be its final season in World Superbikes (which it only entered in 2009) in favour of customer racing support. Husqvarna was sold to KTM CEO Stefan Pierer in a deal that kept the brand away from KTMs links with Bajaj Auto in India. The structure cleared the way for the announcement some three months later of a new strategic alliance with TVS Motor Company in India, an alliance aimed at getting the BMW brand into the sub 500cc market. Meanwhile modest “face-lifts” have been unveiled to BMW’s existing large displacement and scooter line-up for 2014 (though don't be surprised if they have a surprise up their sleeve for the EICMA 'Milan' Show later this year), and the company has seen a record attendance at its 13th annual BMW Motorrad Days at GarmischPartenkirchen as the company marked the 90th anniversary of its entry into the motorcycle industry. •

BMW saw a record attendance of 40,000 people from some 40 countries help celebrate the 90th anniversary of their entry into the motorcycle industry at their 13th annual BMW Motorrad Days in southern Germany in July this year

Timeline
The new BMW funded Husqvarna premises in Italy have been closed as production under KTM ownership moves to Austria
1689 - Husqvarna starts out as a musket maker for the Swedish Crown 1903 - First 'Husky' motorcyle appears, powered by a Belgian made engine 1919 - First Husqvarna engined bike launched with a 500cc v-twin 1923 - BMW enters motorcycle market 1929 - Folke Mannerstedt creates first Husqvarna race team with road racing success coming from the mid 1930s onwards, competing successfully against brands such as BMW, DKW, NSU, Norton, Rudge and Velocette 1946 - Husqvarna recommences production after WWII with a 98cc model, followed by the 118cc 'Svartqvarna' model, which went on to sell over 100,000 units 1953 - Husqvarna enters the dirt-bike market 1959 - Tibblin wins first World Championship for Husqvarna (25