German car manufacture BMW is expanding its motorcycle range in the Middle East and getting its distributors to fit out dedicated areas for them, reported the Gulf News.
It will shortly be confirming a distributor in Lebanon, seen as a key market for the range, the paper said, adding that UAE, Kuwait and Egypt are the other important markets.
Restrictions on sales of 125cc and over motorcycles to civilians in Jordan, Yemen and Iran have cramped BMW's to widen the market further.
While motorcycle sales accounted for 200 units in the company's overall tally of 7,000 from these markets in 2000, forecasts are this would grow significantly in the years ahead.
Late last year, it won contracts to supply the Dubai and Qatari police, the paper added.
Meanwhile, BMW launched on Monday its C1 two-wheeler in Dubai, the first overseas market for the model outside Europe.
The C1 is expected to win sales of 10,000 in the first year, said the report – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
