BMW Group has reported an 'excellent' start to the New Year and plans to build on the success with a host of 2000 launches. Total year-on-year sales were up in the first two months of this year, with an increase of 8% to 170,000 vehicles.

Professor Joachim Milberg committed the company to remaining independent, despite rumours of a takeover by Volkswagen, and listed the cars drivers can expect to be launched over the next 12 months. The new M3 coupe,which has an all-new 3.2-litre six cylinder engine developing 343bhp, reaches 0-62mph in 5.2 seconds will arrive in the UK in early 2001. This month, the BMW 3-series Touring gets the new 3.0-litre common-rail diesel engine seen in the 5-series and a new motorcycle, the F650GS, will be launched.

In May, the ground-breaking C1 motorcycle is launched, along with the BMW 3-series convertible, initially just with a 2.3-litre 170bhp six cylinder engine, and the BMW Z8. June sees the arrival of a new 3.0-litre petrol engine from BMW for the saloon and coupe, which also makes its way into the Z3 roadster in July. A new direct injection petrol engine being developed by BMW will be launched in 2002 in all BMW Group brands.