Lebanese auto dealers have had to handle a mixed bag of issues in 2009 as they worked to retain last year’s 45 percent rise in sales. For the dealership Bassoul-Heneine, BMW sales were up 56 percent this year, the second highest growth for the German brand in the Middle East after Syria, with sales up 94 percent on 2008 — a stark contrast to the region, where sales dropped 8 percent in 2009. “Our business plan was to sell 680 BMWs, but we will reach 1,000 units. In 2007 we sold 512 units, 624 in 2008 and this year until October, 824 units. For all our brands, our [total] target became 2009 units in 2009, and we’re going to do that,” said Nagy Heneine, general manager at Bassoul-Heneine, which is also the dealer for Mini, Alfa Romeo, Dacia and Renault. Heneine attributed the rise in sales to the new X6
