Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Year By Year Production

Automobile manufacturers handle their production statistics based on two information dimensions:

  • Model Year
  • Calendar Year

Model Year

The Model Year is defined as the period of time an auto manufacturer determines its sales, marketing and engineering support for a particular vehicle.  The Model Year view is utilized by Japan, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Middle East, and other coutnries.

In the USA, the Model Year cannot exceed the January of the previous year.  For example, a 1991 model can be declared from January 1990 forward to whenever the manufacturer deems the model is no longer offered.  For the 1991 BMW 8 Series, the North American Model Year ran from January 1990 until late June 1991.

In certain countries, as in the example of North America, the VIN number has a digit that represents the Model Year of the vehicle.  The 10th digit is an alpha-numeric code that represents the model year of the vehicle. For the 8 Series, the 10th digit represented the following years:

  • M = 1991
  • N = 1992
  • P = 1993
  • R = 1994
  • S = 1995
  • T = 1996
  • V = 1997
  • W = 1998 (Middle East)
  • X = 1999 (Middle East)

Calendar Year

The Calendar Year is defined as the January through December time frame an auto manufacturer uses to report annual production for a variety of reasons, including financial reporting of income derived from production.

Many countries, including the European Union, do not recognize the Model Year method and instead use the Calendar Year definition when reporting manufacturing by model number. However, typically it is understood that the model year change-over occurs in September of every year for BMW when engineering changes are implemented following the summer holiday. So although the European Union does not recognize the model year designation vis-a-vis other countries, it nonetheless is considered a newer model year when the changeover occurs in September. 

For markets that use the Model Year designation, many unscrupulous sellers will utilize the calendar year production to advantage their rareness selling pitches.  For example, in the USA, the 1997 model year for the M73 850CiA began in mid-April 1996 and concluded late July 1997, with 166 cars coded with the 1997 VIN.  However, some people will claim that their car is one of 85 M73 850CiA's built for North America in 1997.  When pressed for proof, ~50% of the claims will prove false as the car was built as a 1997 in the 1996 calendar year.

Model Year Production - North America

ModelSorted By Model In Ascending Order1990199119921993199419951996199719981999Total
M60 840CiA    5021,147    1,649
M62 840CiA      143658  801
M70 850i/Ci 6spd 5282121061     847
M70 850i/CiA 2,11950667745     3,347
M73 850CiA     54143166  363
S70 850CSi    15570    225
Z Total 2,6477187837031,271286824  7,232

Notes: Model Year - North America

  • This data is default sorted by Model name.  Sorting can be done by clicking on the column heading.
  • Information is based on the cumulative 7,232 build sheets for each North American BMW 8 Series.
  • Model year is derived by the 10th digit of the 17 digit VIN.
  • This 8er data is for the North America continent, specifically Canada and the USA and surrounding territories.

Audited:  31-Jan-2008
Source:  2005 BMW 8 Series Inventory Project

Calendar Year Production - Worldwide

ModelSorted By Model In Ascending OrderMktStrng19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999Total
M60 830Ci 6spdEuroLHD   5       5
M60 830CiAEuroLHD   13       13
M60 840Ci 6spdEuroLHD    142021103   329
M60 840Ci 6spdEuroRHD    124281   54
M60 840CiAEuroLHD   108136952566   1,780
M60 840CiAEuroRHD    983564548   916
M60 840CiANorAmLHD    283781585    1,649
M62 840Ci 6spdEuroLHD      8322420993
M62 840Ci 6spdEuroRHD       3   3
M62 840CiAEuroLHD     11425020719541708
M62 840CiAEuroRHD      13366393441501,470
M62 840CiANorAmLHD      19482300  801
M70 850iEuroLHD554,6145,2891,317543171     11,989
M70 850i/Ci 6spdEuroLHD65711,5844498724     2,721
M70 850i/Ci 6spdEuroRHD 11611952     98
M70 850i/Ci 6spdSouAfrRHD 121       4
M70 850i/Ci 6spdNorAmLHD115757479351     847
M70 850i/CiAEuroRHD23274561487637     1,046
M70 850i/CiASouAfrRHD  884      20
M70 850i/CiANorAmLHD31,1681,44420052012     3,347
M73 850CiAEuroLHD     10030715913111246855
M73 850CiANorAmLHD     215112585  363
S70 850CSiEuroLHD   22450323010167   1,125
S70 850CSiEuroRHD   141783010   160
S70 850CSiNorAmLHD    4110975    225
Z Total  676,8499,4182,4743,0642,8252,1391,4821,38667124630,621

Notes: Calendar Year

  • This data is default sorted by Model name.  Sorting can be done by clicking on the column heading.
  • Information is based on the cumulative 30,621 build sheets for each BMW 8 Series.
  • Calendar year production is based on actual production dates from the build sheets; BMW AG's factory reporting for monthly/annual production is skewed with December production data being pushed into following year for revenue recognition purposes (where applicable).
  • This 8er data is for all worldwide production. 

Audited:  15-April-2010
Source:  2005 BMW 8 Series Inventory Project

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