Dr. Michael Ganal (BMW Group board member responsible for sales and marketing) gave a speech today that outlined the where the new MINI's has been and where it's going in the years ahead. It's not exactly ground breaking in terms of information but it's always nice to hear from the suits now and again…

Welcome to our MINI Press Conference here at the Paris Motor Show.

This is just the third motor show where we are presenting MINI. And it is only three years after the market launch of MINI in late summer 2001. But we have already – just recently – set up a very significant record: Last month the 500,000th MINI came off the production line in Oxford! This number alone confirms MINI's unique story of success.

And that is not all: This year's figures prove that MINI remains very popular. Our latest extrapolations for the first three quarters of the year show MINI sales of approximately 140,000 units worldwide, marking an increase by more than 3 per cent over the same period last year.

Particularly the more powerful models remain very popular among our customers: Today every other MINI sold is a Cooper, one out of four MINIs is a Cooper S.

How do we explain this success?

The answer is that MINI lifts you out of the “general crowd” – and it does so with a relatively small car.

The MINI philosophy, Ladies and Gentlemen, is clear and straightforward:

  • Small car, but top quality and superior safety.
  • Small car, but exceptional driving fun and powerful character.
  • Small car, but lots of individual style and emotion.

So it's no surprise that MINI is seen consistently as the car for the young, urban, and hip trendsetter. And indeed, it is true that we appeal in particular to this target group. But it is also true that these customers are only part of the MINI community. The last three years have shown very clearly that this desire for a very special small car is not restricted to a certain clientele.

On the contrary – you will find MINI fans and drivers in all age and population groups, in more than 70 countries worldwide. Like its predecessors, MINI goes beyond all classes and class limits in a positive sense in terms of its target groups.

The real reason for this stable upward trend, however, is that the enthusiasm for MINI continues also “at second sight”. People do not buy a MINI just because of its looks.

The real thrill starts when the customer gets into the car and sets out for the first time. This is when he – or, of course, she – will really experience that unique substance and unique character. MINI's success is therefore a lasting phenomenon, as we see from our consistently good sales figures.

How will MINI continue in the next few years?

This summer we launched the MINI Convertible here in Europe, introducing the second body variant into the market. In the course of the next few months, the MINI Convertible will be available worldwide. With the MINI Convertible we are the first premium manufacturer to enter the small convertible segment, setting once again the trend.

The MINI Convertible is entering the market at exactly the right time, since the trend towards emotional, open-air cars is continuing also in the smaller vehicle segment. Indeed, this convertible segment has tripled in volume in the last four years, and will continue to show over-proportional growth also in the future.

The MINI Convertible's good chances of success are already confirmed by our initial retail figures: In the first two months since launching the car, we have already delivered 5,000 MINI Convertibles to customers – even though so far the MINI Convertible has been available only in Europe and reached the North American market just very recently.

Again, the two more powerful models, the MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S, are also the most popular variants in the case of the MINI Convertible.

Updating the MINI, we have also fulfilled the wish for even more engine power. The upgraded version of the MINI Cooper S, which entered the market in July of this year, now develops a maximum output of 170 bhp.

Considering this extra power, Mike Cooper has put together a new John Cooper Works Tuning Kit for the MINI Cooper S, focusing in particular on the customer with the wish for even more sporting and dynamic performance. Featuring the new Tuning Kit, engine output of the MINI Cooper S is up almost 25 per cent to 210 bhp.

The strength of our upgraded models lies not only in the extra power of their engines. Rather, both the MINI One and MINI Cooper now come with a new transmission offering an even better and more precise gearshift as well as optimised transmission ratios ensuring a significant increase in agility and driving pleasure once again. And the new headlights in their clear glass look not only offer more light intensity, but also put even more character to that unmistakable face of the MINI.

Looking at the ongoing introduction of the MINI Convertible into the market and our successful model update, we see the near future in a very positive light. And looking further into the future of the MINI brand, we will continue to expand our model range, naturally by means of body variants perfectly matching the brand.

Four years ago, we heralded MINI's story of success here in Paris, presenting the car to the public for the first time. We have built more than half a million MINIs in the meantime – and our customers are not only satisfied, they are thrilled. To offer you a nice comparison: If all MINIs that have come off the production line so far were out on the road in the Larger Paris Area, you would see a thrilled MINI driver at the wheel of every third car!

However, half a million MINIs not only confirm MINI's outstanding story of success so far, but also point clearly into the future. A future in which the MINI family will certainly break some more records. MINI, Ladies and Gentlemen, has always been good for a positive surprise. And this will also be the case in future!

Thank you very much for your attention.