BMW Loses a Quarter of Its Sales in the World's Largest Car Market

The German BMW Group announced on Tuesday that its deliveries in China fell by 24.8% during the third quarter of 2026 compared with the same period last year, while its global deliveries recorded a decline of 6.3%. These figures confirm that the world's largest car market is no longer the guaranteed ground that European luxury brands used to rely on to achieve their growth.

This decline is largely attributed to intensifying competition with Chinese automakers, which expanded their presence in the sedan and electric and hybrid SUV segments, and offered richly equipped options at competitive prices. BMW found itself forced to defend its share in a market where customer loyalty is shifting toward local alternatives at an accelerating pace.

For buyers in Saudi Arabia, BMW remains a pivotal player in the luxury car segment, where its well-known models such as the 3 Series, 5 Series, and X models compete with Mercedes-Benz and Audi.