Will this cause there to be fewer R56 Coupes to be built (and purchased)? Absolutely. Will there be fewer MINIs built (and purchased)? Not a chance.

And finally, in the realm of MINIs a 20-30 day dealer lot supply is glut. In the R53 era dealers were lucky to keep 9-11 day supply of cars in inventory.

In the R53 era MINI didn’t have a choice – they simply couldn’t produce cars in the number they can today after the plant expansion.

I can’t find that between the lines or anywhere else. Four months in a row of sales over 4000 units does not translate to a lot of unsold cars sitting around. The R56 continues to set sales record after sales record, and the Clubman will only improve things.

Any idea when the MINIUSA.com configurator switch to 2008 ?

Can’t wait no more ! ;-)

Thanks !

Some customers like the ability to customize and order the MINI that better suit their tatstes and wallet. Isn’t that what MINI is all about after all? You-i-fication?

Unless you are the type of customers that needs/wants a car right away and is not willing to wait, then a pre-specced car sounds like a fair compromise. A friend of mine traded his ’03 BRG/W R53 S for a new ’07 R56 S Mellow Yellow/Black. He did not want to wait the 6+ weeks for a custom built car, so he took that one off the dealer lot. He doesn’t like yellow cars, but he took a discount, so he is obviously happy with his choice.

Maybe for some paying big money for a MINI is not a problem. For those of us that enjoy custom building our cars to our tastes/budget, ordering is still the way to go if circumstances allow.

And finally, in the realm of MINIs a 20-30 day dealer lot supply is glut. In the R53 era dealers were lucky to keep 9-11 day supply of cars in inventory. Hummers are a lost cause. They have a 150+ days inventory of unsold vehicles. No comparison there.

I will disagree with you on the word glut however. Glut is 200 Hummers sitting secretly in local parking lots. 20 cars sitting in plain view is what most sales people would consider “normal”.

And budget conscious consumers must be a local thing for you Nigel/Frank. If you look at most the cars coming off the floor in cities like Chicago or the NYC area they appear to be very well specced. This disparity is another argument for dealer’s speccing their own cars I suppose.

Reading between the lines of this article, the bottom line is that MINI simply overproduced the R56 and now they have over 20-30 days supply sitting at dealer lots.

In the R53 era, dealer lot supply used to be 9-11. days, tops…

The Clubman will be a good seller and it could surprise R56 coupe sales in unexpected ways…

A wise move. They have been overproducing the car and demand has finally leveled off with supply. The only way they can end discounts and financial incentives to move the metal is to cut back production.

There is no glut…. There is no glut… There is no glut…