MINIUSA Hits 100,000 Sold

Sections: Sales Feb 18th, 2005 28 Comments

From MINIUSA Press:

MINI USA announces it has achieved a sales milestone, retailing the 100,000th MINI in the US market. With initial sales targets of 20,000 units per year at the time of launch, MINI has consistently exceeded expectations over the last three years, reaching the 100,000-unit mark a full two years ahead of projections.

The car, identified as a MINI Cooper was retailed in Florida and represents MINI’s strong foothold in the US market. Since MINI’s 2002 launch, the brand has grown from a less-than 2% unaided public awareness to an awareness of over 60% today. In addition, MINI USA has expanded its business, adding ten more dealers to its retail network to bring the total number of dealers to 80 nationwide.

MINI’s unique combination of style, substance and value along with its ‘cheeky’ brand personality, continues to attract new and enthusiastic customers to the fold. With a full compliment of individual options, customization is a key draw for new customers. To date more than 70% of all MINIs sold were specified by a retail customer prior to delivery.

Jack Pitney, vice president of MINI USA said, “The 100,000th MINI represents a significant milestone for us as it shows we have cultivated a unique appeal with our brand and products and have clearly established MINI’s place in the US market.”

Congrats to everyone at MINIUSA. Doing this two years quicker than anticipated is cause for some celebration.

Written By: MF Staff

Allan

Full two years?!?!
Matt

congratulations!
Frank

I wonder who here in Florida got that 100,000th Cooper???

Congratulations to MINI on yet another magnificent milestone!
Frank

MINI has indeed blown away all the pre-existing notions about cars in this country:

1) Small doesn’t sell 2) Hatchbacks are cheap, fragile and a relic from the 1970′s 3) Americans will never abandon thier SUVs and large sedans for “frumpy” small cars. 4) Small cars are unsafe 5) Small cars, specially hatchbacks, are not fun to drive. 6)Premium quality, looks and feel can’t never be mixed with small cars 7)Small cars are guaranteed money losers 8) There is no replacement for displacement 9) Small cars can’t never outhandle thorugh breed and high powered sports cars 10) Who wants to drive around in a car whose roof color doesn’t match the rest of the body?? 11) High resale values are reserved for high ticket luxury cars and exotics 12) Cars will never sell without loud TV commercial spots 13) Small is fun, classy, cool and sexy 14) It is impossible to sell small cars without rebates and factory incentives

And the list goes on and on…..

I am also glad to see that 70,000 US bound MINIs were custom ordered using the “Just in time” production system at Oxford. That is totally unprecedented for any mass produced car, specially a SMALL car under $20K.

Wow!
http://motoringfile.com Gabe

I can just see MINI HQ; the corks are off the bottles and the jello shots are going fast. There’s someone in the corner dancing awkwardly and another doing karaoke to G&R. One exec turns to another, “you know, with all this success, maybe we should release those 1000 special edition 400hp AWD Gullwing door MINIs we’ve had moth-balled in the warehouse.”

Seriously. like Frank said, this is a pretty amazing event considering what typically sells with the American consumer.
TJKonarski

Do they really have 1000 special edition 400hp AWD Gullwing door MINIs in a warehouse somewhere?
Kurt

I’ll take one of those 400hp AWD minis, :^)
Dave & Stacy

Hmmm…I’d like one of those to replace my “aging” 1986 Dodge Omni GLH rallycar.
RB

Whatever!
ChrisW

There is hope for the American consumer! Not much, but there is hope.
RednWhiteCooper

whats the vin of the 100,000th car? i want to se how close mine was to 100,000
Allan

Is there a way to figure out which number your car is from the VIN number?
nrkist

Woo hoo. Good times. Mini has sold 100k cars in the US and is expanding production capacity. The S is being offered in an automatic. With each car sold mine becomes that much more common and unremarkable. I need a drink.
Vanwall
This is great news! MINI hasn’t just hit a home run, they’ve hit it out of ballpark, landed in a moving freight car on the AT&SF and ended up all the way ‘cross the country. The MINI name recognition is ubiquitous nowadays, every little kid thinks they’re cool, and anyone who knows cars has a level of respect for ‘em, if not an outright admiration. Unlike Yurp, here in Murica they started from zilch, made a brand-name become synonymous with FUN, and incidently provided me with two of the most delightful cars I’ve ever owned.

Nuff said!
```
          BCNU,
         Rob in Dago
```
Steve Mielnicki

Heh, just bought mine yesterday, maybe I was 99,999, Congratulations Mini!
http://telly.bravo5.org/blojsom/blog brian

I placed my order yesterday (FINALLY!); when I saw the headline, I thought it was mine. :-( Oh, well.

’05 MCS, Chili Red/Black with red dash, black/gray leatherette, Sport pkg, Premium pkg (minus the auto a/c), LSD, rear fog.

I ordered early to get my spot in line, but will not be taking delivery ’til June 1 (tho Dreyer & Reinbold would have been able to get it to me sooner…)
Allan

“Woo hoo. Good times. Mini has sold 100k cars in the US and is expanding production capacity. The S is being offered in an automatic. With each car sold mine becomes that much more common and unremarkable. I need a drink.”

That is very true, sometimes I see the sales numbers, and I just wish that BMW would stop production.
http://www.gbmini.net/ Ian

Hmmm … this reminds me of people living in fancy places trying to block new construction because it will spoil the environment or similar arguments.

Put yourself in the place of someone wanting a MINI but not yet lucky enough to be motoring. Also, 100,000 MINIs in a country of nearly 300 MILLION vehicles is still very very few!
Dan

What’s the point of owning a MINI? Is it an investment? No more than any other car! If you’re worried about resale value, then lock it up in the garage and never drive it. And what’s the point of that? And, what if they did stop production and your MINI up and died or worst, got totalled? Then where would you be? Enjoy it for what it is! You bought it to drive it! It’s a great value and a great car to drive!
EricR

Gullwing doors?! That WOULD be impressive, given the frameless MINI door design. ;-)

BTW, I love jello shots!!
nrkist

“Put yourself in the place of someone wanting a MINI but not yet lucky enough to be motoring.”

Uh… I’ve been there – twice – and I was able to find Mini’s even in the supplied-challenged SF Bay Area with a minimum of effort. I have no sympathy for someone who gets frustrated because the exact car he wants is not sitting on the local dealer’s lot. One of the things that attracted me to the Mini was it’s relative rarity and what I perceived to be a Harley-esque strategy of constraining supply to maintain value. Sure I love to drive it, but I also value its (fading) exclusivity. Well, it may be back to the vintage market…
Nreyes

Hey, nrkist get over yourself. Join the MINI Republic and be a happy driver.
Bill Lawrence

I think the MINI is popular because it isn’t typical of what you get here in the US.

1) People are absolutely sick of big, technically outdated truck-based vehicles.
2) Some folks liked the hatchback they started their car driving years with, but they wanted more performance, creature comforts and a bit more prestige, the MINI hit it’s mark on this.
3) People are sick of having just another car on the lot. They want their own special car. My MINI was built especially for me. In fact there were none available to buy off the lot when I got mine. When we bought my wifes Ford Explorer, she had 72 nearly identical Explorers to choose from, not much personalization there. 4) Rebates play havoc with resale value and always leaving you wondering if you got a better deal. My wife’s Ford Explorer had $11,000 worth of rebates. Imagine the poor suckers who paid full price for the same vehicle? Even though I paid $21,000 for my MINI. I felt the car was worth every penny and everyone else has to pay at least the same price for a MINI like mine.

Frank is right, the MINI has blown away the pre-existing notions of cars in this country. That is exactly one of the big reasons why we love it!
nrkist

“Hey, nrkist get over yourself. Join the MINI Republic and be a happy driver.”

Hmm…that sounds suspiciously like a derogatory personal attack.

Hey, I just like my cars to be distinctive, and the community of owners to be small and dedicated. This is what you find with many vintage cars, but few new ones. It was the case with the new Minis for the first few of years of production, and it was great. But it seems like now the “MINI Republic” is rapidly becoming indistinguishable from the Walmart Nation, and BMW is actively pushing things in this direction. Me no like.

Just my opinion, of course, but I think I’m entitled to it.
http://www.gbmini.net/ Ian

nrkist, you miss the reality that 100,000 MINIs in USA is still a tiny number – 36,000 sales in one year for MINI is about the same as Porsche; do you consider that brand “too common”? The MINI is, as you wish, distinctive and the community – at least online – is small and dedicated. As evidenced by the defensive comments on this thread ;)

Have you thought about a classic Mini instead? Less practical, less reliable but definitely rarer and worth much more now than sticker price when new!

And no, this is not a “personal attack”!
nrkist

Please, won’t you all just let me wallow in my despair :-)

Yes, late model Porsches are way too common for me – but that’s just me. You’d have to go back to the 60s or early 70s cars to get what I’m looking for. A classic Mini is definitely on the radar, but I would probably go with something that’s a bit more composed at 80mph.

Don’t get me wrong. I think the new Mini is a fabulous driver’s car. But that’s just a minimum hurdle for me. I need to feel like my car is not just another mass-market commodity. Even my Works S is beginning to feel that way.
Eric

The MINI is definitely not mass-market. It seems like you wouldn’t be satisfied with any vehicle currently being produced, but ones that have long since come and gone, and therefore, are rare as dinosaurs. Manufacturers do have to make a certain number to remain profitable remember!

Otherwise, enjoy your Works S, common or otherwise!!!
Nreyes

Nrkist, sorry dude. Didn’t mean to offend. Just trying to interject a little humor.

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