Sections: Best of the Web | Sales Dec 4th, 2008 15 Comments AutoBlog had an interesting post about sales numbers from across the Automotive industry.
Every major automaker saw its sales crash and crash hard last month, and the only brand to gain ground was MINI, which saw sales jump 43% on account of last year’s numbers being artificially low because production of the then-new Coopers couldn’t meet demand.
We already knew about MINI sales being up. But what really brings it home is the chart that I have conveniently linked up for you, right after the jump.
Some staggering numbers here to say the least. Check out Hummer, down almost 64%!
[ By the Numbers ] Autoblog.com
Bob Dec 4th, 2008 Link
OUCH! Percentage increases or decreases aside, the sales volume numbers are incredible. I never would have expected that MINI would top a mainstream brand like Volvo in units sold, especially with their limited dealer network.
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C4 Dec 4th, 2008 Link
I will say to MINI to enjoy the wave while you can. The financial crisis is beginning to hit hard Europe and Asia. We haven’t seen nothing yet.
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C4 Dec 4th, 2008 Link
One thing I would like to know is how many of these cars delivered in Novemember where actual orders placed prior to the market crash in mid-September?
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PatrickForman Dec 4th, 2008 Link
To C4..
Being an MA the turn around time from order to delivery is generally 5-6 weeks. So orders placed in September before the crash would have been delivered in October. The November #’s should accurately reflect the post crash sales/orders from October and of course in stock sales as well.
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Mk1 Dec 4th, 2008 Link
It’s an Apples and Oranges comparison – not accurate. All the other vendors – a buy decision and a sale occur fairly close together. For MINI, the buy decision usually precedes the “Sale” date by several months. The MINI sales numbers the chart shows are purchasing decisions made month prevously – so would more fairly compare to the other automakers sales in the same months the MINI “purchasing decision” was made, not the delayed delivery. Let’s see what the MINI numbers look like in Feb and March.
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faster, Tobias! Dec 4th, 2008 Link
Mk1, C4 Perhaps you didn’t read the post by PatrickForman, so I will repeat – there is only a five to six week gap between order and delivery, ergo late August/September orders where delivered in October. November would be late September/October orders. Orders that were placed in the midst of the meltdown. C4, that is any easy prediction, given Dec-Feb is the slowest period for car sales, and in the north can be influenced heavilyy by the weather. Who wants to car shop in the worst of winter weather?
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Mk1 Dec 5th, 2008 Link
Perhaps you didn’t read the post by PatrickForman, so I will repeat – there is only a five to six week gap between order and delivery,
Exactly! The November numbers MINI is comparing with other Dealer’s Novermer numbers are bogus – they are actually Sept./Oct. “sales” being delivered in Nov. So to be fair and honest we need to compare MINI’s late Dec./early Jan. numbers with the other Dealer’s Nov. Sales numbers to get an accurate picture -apples to apples.
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Mk1 Dec 5th, 2008 Link
Okay – Checked with my old SA to really see what’s what. Yes Virgina, MINI sales are down too, pretty much in line with all the other manufacturers. Three/four months ago his Dealership had about a dozen MINI’s in stock, if that, and couldn’t get them in fast enough. Today, the count is ONE-HUNDRED THIRTEEN MINI’s on their lot, and about the same low foot traffic in their MINI dealership as in their BMW and Caddy Dealerships next door. Down to three SAs from five a few months ago.
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Joe Dec 5th, 2008 Link
We put down a deposit for the R57 early this year and I have a question for the veteran owners … talking to some of the local Mini owners, especially in the So Cal area, it sounds like there is no room to negotiate on the price of the vehicle … if you want a new Mini, you just have to pay the MSRP, take it or leave it. I’m wondering if now that the price has gone up, are dealers going to be willing to negotiate the price at all?
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Mk1 Dec 5th, 2008 Link
Hi Joe, welcome to the assylum! If you take one from Dealer stock, you may have a little wiggle-room (very little)depending on the Dealer and how much they have in inventory (they pay daily interest on the money they borrowed to buy that stock – so may cut some slack to move inventory and cut their expenses – I had a dealer last year offer some $$$ off if I would buy from inventory). On Factory orders, no – MSRP all the way.
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Dr Obnxs Dec 5th, 2008 Link
What’s really interesting is that the only two to have sales drop less than 10% were Subary and Lincoln! Go figure!
Matt
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