At the MINI plant in Oxford, the building measures to expand capacity to 240,000 units a year are continuing. In parallel, production is preparing for the new MINI generation, which will be delivered to customers at the end of the year. This means that availability has become even tighter. As a result, the number of vehicles delivered to customers in the first eight months of 2006 fell by 7.6% to 128,710 units (prev.yr.: 139,301).
Source: MINI Press
Of course MINI will say this ONLY because of production constraints. It is also possible that less people choose to purchase a MINI.
or that the availability of a spectrum of used MINIs is now on the market for buyers to choose instead…
As always, <a href="http://www.gbmini.net/sales.shtml" rel="nofollow">updated sales figures</a> on GBMINI …
… and any claim that sales are down due to demand either requires loads of unsold cars on lots (see GM, Ford, etc) – or requires ESP from MINI to predict in factory planning what the future order levels will be, and adjust accordingly. There’s no such magic!
I think it is combination f many factors. Production interuptions, more used MIBNIs on the market and there are buyers who are waiting for the R56 so they put off the purchase [like me].
I do not think that MINI will ever be at a point where they are offering incentives to buy one. It is too fine of a car for that.
As a side note, slightly off subject, I visited a Pontiac and Saturn dealer over the weekend to get a closer look at a Sky/Solstice and a Pontiac G6 hardtop convertible. None on the lots. None expected soon and going for as much as $4000 over MSRP. Good ole GM. For years they build stuff like Chevettes and Azteks and they grow cobwebs on them becuase no one wants them. They finbally build a car that is desirable and they keep production so low and prices so hight that you cant get one. It is no wonder that they have lost so much market share.
Well sales have not dropped because of demand. We knew this would happen since last winter that close to the buildout of the R50/53 that sales would decrease. It’s not that demand has slipped off but they want the transition to the R56 to be an easy one. If there were a chance we wouldn’t have any vehicles on the grounds us Motoring advisors would be looking for other employment. They are making enough to satisfy demand but at the same time preparing for the release of the new one. We have a total of 10 vehicles on the grounds that you can buy today and that has to last us until we see more cars arrive.
What is the explanation of the number system. I have ordered a MCS 06 is it an R55? if so why?