Worldwide MINI Sales Up 13% for October
While MINI sales in the US are still rebounding from production and EPA delays, worldwide figures continue to rise. MINI achieved its best October sales ever. A total of 28,834 vehicles were delivered to customers worldwide, an increase of 13.4% compared to the same month last year (25,420).
Sales of the core MINI three-door model (the F56) leapt 53.7% compared to last October (15,920 / prev. yr. 10,361). Year-to-date MINI sales still reflect the model change earlier this year; deliveries total 236,363, down 5.3% on the first ten months of last year (249,702).
Overall demand for BMW Group vehicles increased in October with global sales for the month higher than ever before. A total of 184,297 BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce vehicles were delivered worldwide (prev. yr. 165,854 / +11.1%). In the first ten months of the year, BMW Group sales rose 7.0%, totalling 1,714,197 vehicles (prev. yr. 1,602,020).
Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Sales and Marketing BMW said, “We are seeing good sales development across the model range and all sales regions have recorded positive growth in October. This record month means we are well on track to achieve our target of selling more than two million vehicles by the end of the year.”
<p>Although we’re still waiting for the F55 to make its debut here in the US toward Dec/Jan, it would be interesting to see the Nov figures in the Euro market for a sales comparison between the F56 & F55 when the figures are available sometime in Dec.</p>
<p>Nov was the 1st full month for the F55 in Britain, while the F56 has been over there since early this year. It was mentioned sometime back by some predictors, that the F55 would end up outselling the F56 by at least 2 to 1 (or was it 3 to 1?). Probably will have to wait several months after the F55 has been out to see a good sales comparison between the 2 models.</p>
<p>It is the contrary ! Mini said the F55 will represent 1/3 of F56 sales</p>
<p>There were a few articles here on MF that states a different set of expectations that what you said. One in particular dated Sep 20, 2014 with the headline F55 Public Debut at 2014 Paris Auto Show states, ‘MINI expects the 5 door hatch to attract new customers to the brand because, it says, 70% of global subcompact hatchbacks sales are for 5 door variants’.</p>
<p>Another one I couldn’t located said the same in a different format about the F55 outselling the F56 by 3 to 1 (probably taken from that same article of 70% of subcompacts being 5 door hatches. Anyhow, over the upcoming year we’ll see what happens.</p>
<p>My guess is it the F55 will at least match the F56 as we get well into next year. I’ve owned a ’08 MCS & my current ’12 JCWCoupe. My order for a F55S currently in the production stage is for a preference of the more usable & practical F55 (at least for me & I expect for many others out there). Doesn’t take away from the F56. Each has its pros & cons depending on the customer.</p>
<p>Throughout Europe, 5-door Hatchbacks outsell 3-doors, on average, by at least 2:1.</p>
<p>In October, MINI had its best global sales month ever!</p>
<p>For the Audi A1 and A1 Sportback(5-door) the Sportback is indeed the most sold (2:1)
That’s why especially concerning the F56 it is important to notice that the F55 doesn’t sell so well ! so that the ratio is 2.1 …in favor of the F56</p>
<p>F55 only went on sale on October 25, so it’s too early to say. BMW is, in any case, always conservative with sales predictions on new models, and they were completely taken by surprise with the popularity of the Countryman, which actually increased annual MINI sales by 50% (from 200k to 300k).</p>
<p>There are already quite a few F55’s on the road in the UK, and they look far more attractive, and much larger, in the metal than they do in photographs. I suspect that MINI has another big seller on its hands, and I shall be very surprised if F55 does not exceed F56 global sales in due course.</p>
<p>“which actually increased annual MINI sales by 50% (from 200k to 300k).”</p>
<p>There you go again. Go back and look at the game tape. 2014 Countryman sales are only up marginally over 2013.</p>
<p>Before the age of Countryman (pre 2011) MINI sold 200k units a year, with the coming of Countryman sales increased to 300k units a year.</p>
<p>My point is, you have a habit of rounding up massively.</p>
<p>2010: 234,175
2011: 285,060
2012: 301,526
2013: 305,030</p>
<p>Nevertheless, the increase in overall sales, due mainly to the Countryman, is massively impressive from just one model. Expect to see eye-popping sales figures from the F-series MINIs in 2015.</p>
<p>I have been looking more closely at the effect that the
Countryman has had on worldwide sales, since it was launched in the UK on 18
September 2010. All sales figures are taken from BMW Group Annual Reports for
each respective year.</p>
<p>2009 R55/56/57 = 216,538</p>
<p>2010 R55/56/57 = 219,838 + R60 @ 14,337 = 234,175</p>
<p>2011 R55/56/57/58 = 196,024 + R60 @ 89,036 = 285,060</p>
<p>2012 R55/56/57/58/59 = 199,255 + R60 @ 102,271 = 301,526</p>
<p>2013 R55/56/57/58/59/61 = 203,133 + R60 @ 101,897 = 305,030</p>
<p>For the three full years that the Countryman has been on sale, 2011, 2012,
2013:-</p>
<p>The average annual total MINI Sales excluding Countryman = 199,470</p>
<p>The average annual total Countryman sales added a further 97,735 (49%)</p>
<p>The average annual total MINI sales including Countryman = 297,205</p>
<p>I was in the same state of mind as you …until i discussed yesterday with sellers : so it is stated that the F55 doesn’t sell as much as expected.</p>
<p>Generaly first sales represent what’s next to expect, of course the F55 can take off the next months, it remains that today it is not as successfull as expected</p>
<p>Time will tell…</p>
<p>I hear what you say, and I’m not too surprised at this stage. I bought an early Countryman in December 2010, and my local MINI Dealer was so keen to sell, that they gave me an exceptionally generous part exchange deal on my Clubman. For the first few months I hardly saw another one on the road. These days they are everywhere in the UK, and almost seem to have a cult following.</p>
<p>I have to say that the F55 looks really good on the road. It looks solid, chunky and masculine, and makes an Audi A1 5-door Sportback look delicate and positively feminine in comparison. For just £600 extra over the F56, they offer so much more than just two extra doors.</p>
<p>As you say, time will tell.</p>
<p>This is interesting, that the increase in price over the F56 is only $900 + or -. I remember when MINI was introducing the Paceman, that it was going to be about that same amount more and I asked the question, why is a two door more expensive than the Countryman four door. It was said that in the real manufacturing world, it costs more to build a two door. I didn’t buy that, but that was what they said.</p>
<p>Now we have the opposite. We have a production two door hatch and MINI is bringing to a four door hatch, granted extended a little. Hasn’t MINI/BMW learned that they shouldn’t play with us customers like that in their pricing. I can believe that the F55 would be a little more expensive to produce, but if they want the Paceman to sell, maybe MINI should ask themselves the same question, didn’t we mess up when we priced the Paceman? And, maybe we should do something about that now to maybe, save it? Anyway, just a thought</p>
<p>The Paceman is marginally cheaper to produce. It was priced higher to help define its market position. In the luxury and near luxury world pricing coupes higher than four doors is common practice. However in lower segments it’s the opposite.</p>
<p>I have to agree with you. My first BMW was an E30 2-door
which was cheaper than the 4-door, and rightly so. 4-door cars are more complicated to build and have more components than their two door siblings. Coupes, if they have the right image, are cash cows, because they cost little more to make, despite having some unique body panels, but are perceived as a premium product, and so attract premium prices, and are nice little earners for their makers. The BMW 4-series Coupe and Audi A5 Coupe are good examples. Regrettably, the Paceman lacks credibility as a Coupe, and most people perceive it as a 2-door Countryman which, let’s be honest, is what it is.</p>
<p>F55 is a real bargain. Not only do you get two extra doors,
but increased rear legroom, headroom and shoulder width, plus a larger boot. I can assure you that it looks substantial in the metal, and has a good presence on the road. It looks from some angles like a neater Countryman, so much so that some people I have met actually thought that it was the new Countryman! Early road tests from the reputable car mags are positive.</p>