Wolfgang Schlimme

CYBERJAYA: BMW Malaysia Sdn Bhd believes the healthy local passenger car market and the company's strong performance in 2005 will help it maintain its status as Malaysia's fastest-growing premium automotive brand. 

Having recorded a 25.1% growth in BMW car sales last year with 3,015 units sold, the company is bullish on its outlook for the remainder of 2006, according to managing director Wolfgang Schlimme. 

At the announcement ceremony of Ingress Auto Sdn Bhd as BMW's latest authorised dealer, Schlimme said the company would welcome competition from other manufacturers as this would mean that BMW would always strive for excellence. 

“Malaysia actually has the biggest passenger car market in Asia, and we see strong growth continuing into the year, especially in the premium cars segment,” he added. 

He said BMW was currently growing at 3%-5% faster than the general Malaysian passenger car market, increasing sales growth from 18.9% in 2004 to 25.1% last year, as well as raising the number of BMW models from just four in 2001 to eight, including the Z4, 6-Series, and X5. 

The company was hopeful that the National Automotive Policy (NAP) would help spur BMW's growth in Malaysia by providing a more level playing field, he said, adding that it would decide on its new strategies once the NAP was announced. 

Schlimme also said BMW was lining up two more model lines, but these would not be launched this year. 

Ingress Corp Bhd executive vice-chairman Rameli Musa said the company was scheduled to begin operations for BMW in early 2007.  

“We hope to commence operations earlier, but we would wait until our BMW 4S centre in Mutiara Damansara is ready before moving on,” he added. 

He said the centre would provide sales, showroom, repair services and spare part facilities once completed. Ingress would be investing about RM30mil in the 4S centre, which would be funded internally. 

On whether the company would be setting up more 4S centres, he said there were currently no plans to do so. 

“We also do not have plans to work with other automotive manufacturers,” Rameli said, adding that this was in line with BMW's policy of having exclusive dealers to maintain an edge over its competitors. 

Rameli said Ingress' Thai market was still the bigger contributor to revenue compared with the Malaysian market.  

BMW currently has four operating dealers, namely Auto Bavaria, Lee Motors Auto Care in Kedah, Seong Hoe Premium Motors in Malacca and Ang Trading & Motor Credit in Johor.