In its fifth year since sales began, MINI UK has achieved its biggest registration month on record with 7,687 MINIs sold during March 2006. Demand for the Oxford-built MINI continues unabated which is why the plant is undergoing an investment programme to increase production capacity. Since the announcement in February 2005 of over £100 million investment, new equipment is being installed to take capacity up to 240,000 units in the medium-term.
Source: MINI UK Press
This, in combination with the reduced US sales, is not entirely unexpected. It makes sense for them to be turning over inventory more quickly as the production transition to the next generation R56 ramps up.
Factory real estate is crucial when you’re retooling your line…it’s all about moving the current product out quickly so you have available space. The shorter the distribution chain, the quicker they can get those cars out on the road.
I expect we’ll continue to see UK domestic sales growth (and to a lesser degree, European sales growth) outpacing the declining US sales until the transition is complete.
I find it somewhat charming that the Brits seem to be in love w/ the MINI….all over again.