Most liked posts in thread: MINI USA Sales Down 11% for July

One could also guess that the numbers could be affected slightly by knowledgeable buyers who are holding out for the 2011 mid-cycle refresh. If I were shopping for a new MINI, I would certainly fall into that camp.

Think we'll see some deep discounts on 2010 models in the coming months?

 

It's the economy.......

 

I've looked at a bunch of numbers

and what is at play for MINI is three things:

Cash for clunkers is over, so sales year on year overall for July are not great. I think they are up a touch.

Gas prices and the gas price fear are both not driving people to smaller cars. So much so, that light trucks count for over 50% of all the light vehicles sold in July. Also, larger cars are doing better and the smallest of cars are taking a hit.

MINIs are expensive compared to the other competition in the segment, and the segment is growing.

But what is interesting is that BMW is reporting record profits, as is Damlier. The overall winners this year are Hyundai, Nissan, VW and Subaru with huge sales growth compared to pretty much every other brand. Hyundai sold more cars in the US in July than all the European manufacturers combined! They are almost selling more cars than Chrysler!

If you want to look at some of the data, check this link, data courtesy of Wards....

Matt

 

I have to agree with the Dr.

But I do wonder about the high sales of light duty trucks. Just never made sense to me to fork out the kind of money a new truck is worth, use it as a DD, and haul, maybe, 4 bags of groceries in itut:.

Me, I like my trucks beat-up, dirty, and cheap, cause I'm going to get them real dirty, and beat the crap out of them hauling stuff.

Mark

 

Unfortunately, that's just what my wife does to our Subie. :cryin:

 

another interesting tidbit

is that Porsche, MB and BMW are all up in sales. So the very well off are feeling confident. But that hasn't translated to MINI.... Hmmmmm

Matt

 

Well this multiple MINI owning family does not fall into the "very well off" bunch. Hmmmmmm

Mark

 

They must be selling a lot around here because it seems that I see more and more on the road everyday. Of course we have the first and now one of only three Mini dealerships in NC....

 

what's the Jul08 to Jul09 number? I'd be interested to see if '10 is still above '08. Statistically, throwing out the artificially high '09 data would make sense.

As for M-B being up, the new E-Class is a winner in all respects, not to mention a $5k lower MSRP at a time when Audi is raising prices to catch up (and BMW is doing big discounts off their inflated MSRP)

 

Ian Cull posts the numbers for the US....

click here. I did a monthly sales change year on year. Since Dec 08 the numbers have pretty much sucked.

Matt

 

interesting. with the clubbie and without, its down 08 to 10. perhaps the competition is catching up against the justacooper for non-performance type compacts? dunno.

the only MINI I'm interested in these days is an unmolested GP I can store for my daughter or a salvage title justacooper to strip for an auto-x car. :-/

 

without a doubt

the MINI market space is getting nipped at and shrunk from many a side. And the basic platform isn't really that different since launch. The only real change has been going from the Tritec to the Prince engine family. To all but the purists, it really hasn't changed that much in 8 years...

Matt

 

Still think the economy and unemployment are affecting the sales of the Mini Cooper. When you look at the demographics of most owners of our cars, many or those folks are squarely in the middle of the recession. They are middle class hard working folks that weren't and still aren't in the market for a MB, Audi or BMW, folks that were attracted to the Mini because of its panache, its uniqness and performance per buck value. Many of these people don't feel all that secure at their work place or are already unemployed. The economy gets better, companies start hiring again and sales will pick up, but for now a major fun purchase is not on the radar...evidenced by Mini's newest products and efforts in building more practicle, utilitarian vehicles that can carry the kids and groceries while getting good MPG. Which is coming first, the Countryman or the coupe?

 

I don't buy it....

these cars are at the same price point or lower than Subaru, and Subies had good growth. While recession surely has some effect, it's not the only driver for the MINI numbers. If you go look at the numbers at Wards, try to find an explanation that is pinned on recession and buyer demographics that works accross the board, and you'll quickly get frustrated because it can't be done.

Matt

 

True that Matt, I have many customers who have bought subies in the last year or two and some that owned more expensive cars before but as a point, not one of them bought a WRX, all purchased the SUV or the wagon because of the price point, reliability and the usability of the platform.

 

No 4 door

IMHO for all the variations Mini has done so far, I don't think they've really increased the size of their "useful niche". The clubman really should have been a 5 door with exactly the same dimensions. And they're quickly falling behind the competition on bang-for-the-buck.

Take myself as an example. They really should have had a "lock" on me for four reasons:

1. I am constantly hauling small items, so I only buy hatchback cars,
2. We already have one SUV & don't need a second one,
3. I don't *usually* have more than one passenger, and
4. I really appreciate performance & good handling & am willing to pay (some) for it.

But when I decided to convert my Mini into a track car & started looking for a new street car, I chose the Mazdaspeed 3 instead for three main reasons:

1. Having a 5 door car is *incredibly* useful. It doesn't look like a station wagon, yet I can haul just about anything in it. And on those odd occasions my office goes to lunch, I feel comfortable carrying 5 people.

2. It has seats that don't give me a pain in the back & don't look like they were designed in the 60's.

3. For about $6000 *less* than I would have spent on a Mini, I'm getting a car with almost 100 HP *stock* more!!! :devil: And although it doesn't have the cornering feel of my R53 Mini, it actually takes the corners quite well...


And don't even get me started on that new ugly monstrosity (in my opinion) they're about to come out with. It breaks every rule of (visual) automotive design that's ever been written.....

My 2c

 

you are a perfect example

of the customer that used to be a lock. And that $6k saved can go a long way to improve the handling to be anything you want it to be.

Matt

 

Subaru has had good growth because its latest product offerings have gone mainstream, moving away from its perennial niche market. The old school Subaru fans are disenchanted but Subaru is picking up more Honda and Toyota customers both in the mid-size sedan and small SUV markets.

MINI is mapping to this with the Countryman, but other than that...there's nothing.

 

In my immediate area, Fresno CA., we are seeing many more MINI'S hitting the road, old and new ones. Do they post sales in certain areas? And there are current Mini owners here waiting to see the "2 seaters" before they buy another Mini? Could that be holding numbers down? About the Countryman, with Mini committing to "World Rally Championship" does anybody see a Mini supercar in the works down the road? I mean does anyone remember the Rothmans Porsche of 1984? Could you imagine .....All wheel drive 350 hp 2 seat coupe MINI....:ihih:

 

it remains to be seen how much the WRC team will have an effect on the aftermarket. I can tell you that Prodrive's offerings for Subaru products over the last decade are tame and OEM-like. Think of them as an analog to JCW for MINI.