How many 'G' 7's are there out there?

[Pelo Cat]

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A recent comment made me think about the fact that regardless of chassis model, year, etc...the 7 series is a fairly rare beast...Oh, you can see them around at hotels, big cities and such but for the everyday...they are like hen's teeth...

So, got me thinking how many 7's get sold each year, where and just how do they compare to overall numbers, etc...

Obviously, the data is hard to come by but what I have found so far (and seems valid, can't trace the source so a healthy dose of scepticism is needed, however, thought this may be of use and this thread a place to put any figures people find regarding our rare beasts...purely speculative navel gazing but fun nevertheless...

BMW themselves published this March (2018) that in 2017 they sold 64,311 'G' 7's worldwide. I could also work out that this meant they sold 61,542 7's in 2016.

I have found stats for 7's sold by month in Europe (as a whole) and the US. No information what countries are included in Europe or if the US numbers include Canada, etc...

the 2016 and 2017 numbers are useful as there are other metrics to use to compare as well.

The yearly numbers are:

2015:
Europe: 5985 USA: 9292

2016:
Europe: 13320 USA: 12918

2017:
Europe: 11533 USA: 9277

Comparing Europe to total Worldwide sales in 2016 as a percentage: 22% (rounded)

Comparing USA to total Worldwide sales in 2016 as a percentage: 21% (rounded)

Comparing Europe to total Worldwide sales in 2017 as a percentage: 18% (rounded)

Comparing USA to total Worldwide sales in 2017 as a percentage: 14% (rounded)

In 2016, the UK BMW sales were roughly 11% of worldwide sales (all models) so assuming (which will be wrong but for fun) this is true of 7 % as well: 49% of 7's could have gone to the UK...and 6585 7's could have been registered in the UK in 2016. (likely too high but one never knows).

Interestingly sales of 7's seem to be on the decline, after the initial good year of 2016.

Anyone else found any interesting stats or numbers to add to the mix? See any glaring mistakes in the above (if you do please point it out, been doing this on the side so may be a 'doh' moment in there!)

I included 2015 as this was when the G series would have been introduced...and you can see that reflected in the yearly numbers from 15 and 16...

Of interest? Discuss...

[FastLaneJB]

I was going to guess 9 of them but then you've gone and done all the maths

I'd guess in the UK a lot are sold say to chauffeur's with no doubt the bulk of them being in and around London. Be interesting to know how many private buyers take this as their car. I suspect the fact it's a limousine sized car most wouldn't even consider it because they aren't chauffeurs.

Doesn't mean they don't make great private cars but just saying I imagine lots of people who could easily afford one don't even try them. They are at times cheaper than an a nice 5 series on finance yet people probably just automatically take the 5 if they want a big saloon.

Not sure they'll break that mindset of people to be honest.

[Pelo Cat]

I agree, many are for hotels and ferrying around people as the intended chauffeur role, shame but also an advantage as it means most people don't consider them.

As several of us have recently seen, they can be a nicer car for less money than an equivalent 5 series in reality, depending on circumstances!

While it seems every other car in London is an S or a 7, outside the feeding grounds we tend to be lone whales wandering the wide land oceans...

It is great to see one once in a while when underway, almost a rare sighting but that makes it interesting to own but it also makes it lonely on the forum as you mentioned due to less people having one.

Hoping others will chime in about numbers and whether they like the 'lonely life' or would rather be one of a larger population!

Also worth noting that for 2016 combined Europe and USA 7 numbers were 43% of total worldwide 7 sales that year.

For 2017 the combined Europe and USA 7 numbers were only 32% of total worldwide 7 sales.

It seems the numbers in traditional areas are indeed declining and the new emerging markets (Far East) are picking up the slack and then some...

[FastLaneJB]

Don't mind having quite a rare car, think it's nice in a way.

Yeah these types of cars are quite big in some developing countries. I guess over in Europe and USA the sales of SUV's are hurting the numbers for these.

[BMWSeven]

Wow that's quite a decline, especially the model being relatively new.