Because of the building work to expand the capacity of the Oxford plant, the number of MINI available is less then the level of demand. For this reason, MINI deliveries through May were below the previous year’s level (88,476) at 82,239 (-7.0%). In May 2006, 17,401 MINI were sold (previous year: 17,536/-0.7%).
Source: BMW Group Press
So these numbers don’t so much mean that MINI sold fewer cars as much as that MINI has had fewer cars to sell? Am I reading that right?
Yes.
It is still a 12 mo wait for a Cooper S at NW Mini. And a 6 month wait for a Cooper, with just used ones for sale.