BMW remains world's best-selling premium automaker through September

Automotive News reports that BMW has managed to hold onto the title of world's best-selling premium automaker through September. The company's core brand saw its sales increase by 9.3 percent last month, putting BMW ahead of Audi and Mercedes-Benz at the same time. Audi sales in September increased by 17 percent while Mercedes-Benz saw its sales jump by a more modest two percent. BMW says the recent results underscore the fact that the automaker is well on its way to deliver more than 1.6 million vehicles globally this year.

Mini alone enjoyed a sales increase of 20.5 percent last month, thanks in part to the arrival of the new Countryman. The model has sold 76,000 units worldwide since going on sale nearly a year ago. Meanwhile, vehicles like the BMW X1, X3 and 5 Series helped push the automaker's increase as well. Sales of the X3 shot up by 260.6 percent to 11,345 units last month. Even Rolls-Royce enjoyed a 41-percent sales surge through the first nine months of the year.

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Rolls-Royce parades through London on the Spirit of Ecstacy centenary drive

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) on Feb 9th 2011 at 8:27AM

Rolls-Royce Spirit of Ecstacy Centenary Drive – Click above for high-res image gallery
Rolls-Royce may sell as many motor cars in Hong Kong and Dubai as they do in their own domestic market, but if you had to pick one city that embodies the Spirit of Ecstasy, that'd be London. So to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the iconic Rolls-Royce mascot, the company rolled out a parade of 100 of its vehicles around the sites and streets of the English capital.

The latest Phantom and Ghost models lead the procession that included shining examples from the company's history – including Silver Ghosts, Clouds, Shadows and Spurs – past such local landmarks as Big Ben, Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus. Full details in the press release after the jump.

[Source: Rolls-Royce]

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