Automotive News Covers MINI USA Sales
The leading industry news source talks about sales, Motor-Tober events and even guesses a bit on the Clubman pricing. Here’s an excerpt:
>Mini offers no discounts or special leases. The new-generation Cooper has been on sale since February, and sales have set records for five straight months. But that doesn’t stop Mini USA from holding special events to engage current owners and attract new ones. The latest: declaring October “Motor-Tober.”
>About 62 percent of Mini’s 82 dealers are staging events – including Halloween costume parties and racetrack driving – throughout the month to get prospects into cars for test drives. Mini has launched a multimedia marketing effort to support the campaign with print, Internet and radio advertising as well as dealer materials.
>Mini is trying to bring more people to the brand as it prepares the launch of the Clubman in February. Last week, Mini dealers were at an international dealer meeting in Berlin where they drove the Clubman.
>The Clubman is a small wagon, but it is 9.5 inches longer than the Cooper and has unique side and rear doors.
>Jim McDowell, Mini USA vice president, expects the Clubman to be about 20 percent of Mini’s total sales – about 800 cars a month. Pricing has not yet been released.
>Mini sources suggest the Clubman will start at about $20,650 including shipping, putting it between the Cooper hardtop and Cooper convertible.
We’ll have more on official MINI USA Clubman pricing soon. You can read more below:
[ Mini dealers stage special events ] Automotive News
Looking forward to seeing Clubmans in the wild! Think Mini has developed a winner here, look forward to seeing how the Mini community messes with it.
Lots a positive news on the brand. I have no doubt Mini is on its way to another record year.
Can’t believe folks used to agrue about whether MINI sales (once R56 came out) were really up or not! I guess they are. I say let’s have a little faith in MINI and, as MINI enthusiasts, give a hardy welcome the Clubman. Let’s also have faith in those who will buy a Clubman for whom that little extra space will really make a huge difference in their everyday motoring. I plan to be at the dealership the day the Clubman arrives to admire it for myself, even though the coupe is still my own MINI-of-choice.
I have 2 MINIs now (05 Cooper, and a 1976 Cooper), and I am thinking about the 08 Clubman S as another addition to the family. I just love MINIs (minis) and I think the variety of the brand is a great thing. Don’t get me wrong, I drive my 76 as my daily driver in Philadelphia because its alot more fun than the BMW MINI, but I do still love the new ones. It took me a while but I really the the 2nd generation new MINIs.
Only 800 a month?
Last Friday (10/19) my wife and I were in the coastal city of Ventura , here in SoCal, looking for a home when just before dusk I spotted a Clubman turning left, away from us, in the rear view mirror. I was driving my wife’s A4, a real slug, there was just too much traffic to get turned around in time to go get pics. I’m assuming this is some sort of a test vehicle? It was white.
With the LA Auto show coming up it will be interesting to get a firsthand view of this vehicle. Ian, come on out, we have a big home and a empty bedroom for you and Margaret.