A RECORD number of BMW cars, including Minis, were sold in April.

The car company said 179,285 vehicles were delivered to customers around the world, a 1.9 per cent increase compared to April last year.

It means a total of 736,931 BMW group vehicles have been sold in the first four months of 2016, a 4.9 per cent rise on the same period the previous year.

Customers were delivered 28,441 Minis, which are built in Cowley, in April.

This represented another increase- of 6.3 per cent- compared to April 2015.

There was a big jump in the number of Mini Convertibles and Mini Clubmans sold.

The increase in BMW sales is down to the cars' increasingly popularity in Europe and Asia despite a fall in sales in the Americas.

BMW board of management member for sales and marketing Dr Ian Robertson said: "Following on from our best-ever sales month in March, we have once again achieved sustainable and profitable levels of growth across the BMW Group product line-up.

"Despite headwinds in some markets, the overall global picture remains positive for the year."