Surging demand puts squeeze on BMW; Panke sees no limit to company's growth.(Brief Article)

BMW AG plants in Germany have not closed for Europe's cherished August vacation and are working through breakfast and lunch breaks to meet red-hot demand for its vehicles, the chairman of the German luxury brand says.

That demand is expected to remain strong as growth in the premium segments outstrips the rest of the market by a substantial margin for many years to come, Helmut Panke, BMW's 55-year-old chairman, said in an interview here last week.

``There currently is no limit in sight to our growth,'' Panke said. ``But the key message is that we have to continue to grow in our existing segments while also increasing our footprint in the market with new products.''

BMW's global unit sales are expected to hit 1 million for the first time this year. In the U.S. market, sales through July are up 8.4 percent over a year earlier to 136,855 - topping archrivals Lexus by more than 1,000 units and Mercedes-Benz by nearly 19,000 units. …