The BMW X1 now largely overtakes the 1 Series
- Launched in 2004 and renewed several times, the BMW 1 Series is a C-segment premium sedan competing with the Mercedes A-Class and Audi A3. The first-generation X1 SUV derived from it was launched in 2009. The first X1 SUV didn’t overtake the 1 Series sedan in terms of sales, which was however achieved with the generation of the X1 that appeared in 2015.
- While in 2016, the production volume of the X1 and 1 Series was practically identical (180,000 units for each model), the following years saw the gap between the production of the two models increase, in favour of the X1 SUV. From 0 units in 2016, this gap increased to 20,000 in 2017, 30,000 in 2018, 48,000 in 2019, 74,000 in 2021 and 114,000 in 2023. The production volume of the X1 reached 220,000 units in 2023, compared to 180,000 in 2021 and 2016.
- At the same time, the production volume of the 1 Series sedan collapsed: from 180,000 units in 2016, 172,000 in 2017, 155,000 in 2018, 131,000 in 2019, 124,000 in 2020, 104,000 in 2021, 81,000 in 2022. The year 2023 marks a slight progress (106,000 units), but far from the figures of 2006-2016.
- The BMW sedan customer basis has shifted mainly to SUVs as with many other carmakers. There is already talk of not replacing the 1 Series launched in 2024 and which should continue its career until 2030. BMW seems to be proceeding in the same way as Mercedes, which will abandon A-Class (C-segment) next year.