GERMAN carmaker BMW has announced record revenues and earnings on a half-yearly basis.

The manufacturer said it forecasts 'a significant increase in sales volume for the full year'.

Its net profit for the first half of this year totalled 1.26 billion Euros, up 7.7% from the same period last year.

Revenues from its automobiles segment increased by 12.1% to 19.46 billion Euros, the company added.

A spokesman said: 'A total of 481,330 BMW brand cars were sold during the first half of 2002, an increase of 4.7% over the equivalent six month period in 2001.

'The sales volume of the BMW brand rose in the second quarter 2002 to 248,559 units, an increase of 4.4% compared to the second quarter 2001 and a new all-time high for a single quarter.'

In the first half of the year, BMW sold 62,412 MINIs.