"BMW Group achieved record sales in 2018. 2.49 million vehicles mean the BMW Group is the world's leading premium automotive company for the 15th year running," Chief Executive Harald Krueger said.

Daimler has not yet released annual sales figures for Mercedes-Benz passenger cars, so it remains unclear whether BMW brand overtook Mercedes-Benz in terms of sales in 2018.

Sales of BMW, Mini and Rolls-Royce cars were higher than Mercedes-Benz in 2017.

(Reporting by Edward Taylor; Editing by Christoph Steitz)

Stocks treated in this article : Bayerische Motoren Werke, Audi AG, Daimler, Volkswagen