Article Summary
- The 3 Series and 8 Series were the only cars with higher sales compared to Q1 2025.
- The 8 Series and Z4 are going out of production this month.
- The X4 went out of production last year.
BMW is about to call time on the 8 Series. Production of the M8 ended last year, while the final examples of the regular model for the United States will roll off the assembly line this month. Although it’s one foot in the grave, the 8er posted a surprisingly strong first quarter in North America, with demand jumping 18.2 percent compared to the same period last year.
The 8 Series racked up 1,170 sales during the first three months of the year in the U.S. Not only did it beat Q1 2025, but it also outperformed every quarter of 2025. We like to think that the surge in demand is tied to the model’s imminent demise. With no sign of a third generation anytime soon, more buyers rushed to secure an 8 Series before it disappears.
Available only as a Gran Coupe, the M850i Edition M Heritage likely contributed to the sales spike. BMW began deliveries of the 8 Series’ swan song in Q1 for customers who paid $131,575 for the retro-flavored special edition. Production is capped at 500 units, though not all are destined for the U.S. market.
The only other non-SUV model to post positive sales through March was the 3 Series. Even though the G20 is also nearing retirement, the sports sedan climbed by double digits. Deliveries rose 10.2% compared to the first quarter of 2025, reaching 8,189 units. All other passenger cars declined in the first three months of the year, with the 4 Series hit especially hard as demand for the Coupe, Convertible, and Gran Coupe fell by half.
Things were much better on the SUV side, particularly for the X3. BMW USA reports the “G45” surged 58.1% to 17,767 units in Q1 2026. However, we do notice a downward trend, as the figure is lower than in the previous three quarters. For reference, BMW sold 26,537 X3s in Q4 2025 and another 20,980 units in Q2.
Predictably, demand for the X4 collapsed after production ended in 2025, so the 221 units sold in the first quarter of this year came from leftover inventory. The iX also dropped sharply, down 50.7%, but BMW is unlikely to be overly concerned. The iX5 is due later this year, followed by the iX7 in 2027. These two electric SUVs will indirectly replace the iX, which BMW might phase out around 2028.
Unsurprisingly, the polarizing XM ranked dead last (among models currently in production) in Q1, with sales falling 4.2% to 388 units. Even the Z4 performed better, though, like the 8 Series, production of the roadster ends this month.
