COMO, Italy -- BMW and Mini may switch to the so-called agency distribution model in Europe, BMW Group's sales and marketing boss Pieter Nota confirmed.
"We are currently talking with our European dealers about a move to a genuine agency model," Nota told Automotive News Europe on the sidelines of the Villa d'Este Concours here.
Autohaus magazine had reported in March that BMW planned to end its authorized dealer system in Europe from 2024 for Mini and from 2026 for the core BMW brand and instead rely on agency sales for new cars.
Nota said that the timing is still under discussion and that the agency model could be applied to the BMW and Mini brands, but not to the company's Rolls-Royce ultraluxury brand, which will stay with the current franchised dealer model.