MINI USA continues to see sales fall in 2016. Despite having fresh, new and more practical models, MINIs are not moving quickly off dealership lots. What’s the reason? Low gas prices? MINI’s higher prices? Lack of product awareness? Or something else? Regardless of the causes, what will MINI USA do to turn things around? From […] More...
Hipster management at BWM must have been wrong in the vision of what the buying public wants ............ :frown2::ihih::lol::frown2: :frown2::ihih::lol::frown2: :frown2::ihih::lol::frown2: :frown2::ihih::lol::frown2: :frown2::ihih::lol::frown2: :frown2::ihih::lol::frown2: :frown2::ihih::lol::frown2: :frown2::ihih::lol::frown2:
I'm guessing that the "technical problems" preventing release of the pre-owned sales numbers were actually the fact that they were ~30% higher over 2015 than new car sales from 2015 and some suit didn't want to be embarrassed by the difference in the same press release. We'll wait and see. :wink:
The bearded hipster thing has (imo) run it course.... Let's face it....when mainstream marketers get on board, it kinda ushers it to an early end... The only thing I know that can make a typical hipster want to change is to blend in too much...to not be an individual....and with so and hipsters and products all claiming to be different with a "story" I think it's kinda over.... Time for BMW/MINI to find a new marketing scheme..... And for them to stop trying to be "All things to all people". You buy a MINI cause it speaks to you... You buy a MINI cause it is NOT NORMAL.... You buy a MINI cause it is not the most utilitarian car, but the most FUN car.... You don't buy a MINI cause it's the most practical car.... You buy a MINI cause it's different.... You buy a MINI cause it NOT NORMAL....yes...2x...it's important You buy a MINI cause it's NOT PRACTICAL.... MINI lost sight of this... And it seems like the gen3 has been "trader-joe'd".... http://www.traderjoes.com The store where EVERY ITEM has a story.... I actually think the last copywriter from trader Joes got a job at MINI writing the new press stuff...anybody see the press info for the last "specialty MINI ....kinda reads like a trader Joes add.... Now compare that to MINI's last press release....
Holy crap!!! Just finished reading the stats... And MINI had a BIGGER drop than VW... MINI DOWN 21.7% VW down 17.2% Even with DIESEL-gate, and 30% of the most popular model unavailable, VW lost less sales as a % than MINI?! WOW....THAT KINDA SAYS VOLUMES.....
To put things in perspective... Automotive News is calling May sales a "bloodbath". Toyota was down 16% Acura down 20% GM was down 18% The U.S. auto industry recorded its biggest monthly sales drop in nearly six years in May as most automakers posted declines amid plunging demand for passenger cars. May volume fell 6.1 percent to 1.5 million vehicles. A 2.4 percent rise in truck sales, fueled by cheaper gasoline, failed to offset a 16 percent drop for cars. Among major automakers, only Fiat Chrysler, Subaru, Kia and Hyundai managed increases in a month that had two fewer selling days than May of 2015. http://www.autonews.com/article/20160601/RETAIL01/160529885/may-sales-drop-6-1-on-weak-car-sales-saar-stays-strong
Hipsters talk about what they want but don't do work to earn money to buy it once it's built for them. Good job MINI
Aww!!! Now I understand why so many live in their Mom and Dad's basements..... Guess they can't afford to join "dollar shave club" either!! Best thing about this site is we can fix the world's problems so fast!!
I was wondering when someone was going to post this, and I'm surprised MF missed this earlier in their apologist point of view. I just read a bunch of auto sales stats the other day, and it changed my perspective. I think MINI does have a problem in the U.S., but we're all overstating it, myself included. The true indicator of the magnitude of the problem will become evident when car sales in the U.S. rebound, and eventually they will. Then we'll truly know the extent of the problem.
As Ross Perot once said.... "A Great Sucking Sound" All of the "Down" numbers are all because of all the "Up" numbers over at Tesla Motors.... Just ask Elon Musk how his deposits look....
Yes...the man who said we might be living in an alien video game simulation....who also wants to die on Mars .... Folks are plunking their $$ on a car that there are ZERO real specs and a possible delivery date of 3 years from now....and nowhere to service them....yeas, even current owners are starting to complain .... Are they mostly speculators? Who knows....but a $1000 interest free loan.... And the fact Tesla is valued at more than GM.... KINDA SAYS "WHOA!!".
Although I wouldn't by a Tesla (or put a deposit on one) any time soon for the reasons Zippy mentioned, I give Tesla huge props for going all in and I hope they make it without having to resort to selling cocaine and everyone getting arrested in an undercover sting operation. It's all or none with the 3--my heart hopes for all--the effort they've put into this is admirable--but my head says none. They have bitten off more than they can chew IMHO; they have the enmity of the major car manufacturers to deal with, overblown expectations, and have taken in way more deposits than they can reasonably to hope to fill, not to mention a lack of dealer support for the ones they do sell. And while the don't have much in the way of direct competition at the moment, that will soon change. And at 35k for the 3, is that priced high enough to turn enough profit? Considering what the S costs, I'm wagering it isn't. But it's going to fun to watch....