MINI USA Sales Up 34% for August
MINI USA Press Release: MINI USA reported August sales of 5,469 automobiles, up 34.1 percent from the 4,077 cars sold in August 2007. Year-to-date, the division reported sales of 36,932 automobiles, an increase of 32.3 percent, compared to the 27,905 cars reported in the first eight months of 2007.
“MINI continued to see strong demand in August and one that again lowered our inventory even more,” said Jim McDowell, Vice-President MINI USA. “But good news is on the way as we have increased our allocation for the remainder of the year starting in September.”
McDowell noted that 75 percent of all MINI customers will likely build their vehicles to order. “This trend shows that MINI customers continue to be those choosing more for lifestyle and individualization rather than just downsizing for fuel economy.”
BTW, anyone, who ordered MINI in the beginning of July 2008 received his/her car from Europe already? What is current time to wait for “custom†(not from dealer’s stock) MINI?
Fantastic news Mini, and a job well done. Pretty nice numbers of Clubmans too.Looks like the gas price surge is still in effect on car sales in general.
As much as I outright hate the R60 (misbegotten concept) have to say that I think this car should come out sooner than later (though hoping for $10+ gas to kill all suvs). Seems everyday I am seeing ads for micro crossovers coming out so I think delay isn’t in Mini’s favor in this regard. Think that Mini should get this out before a large percentage of people transition to a micro suvs.
Did your dealer enter you into “Make Waiting Fun” which would send you an e-mail for you to be able to track your MINI online? If not I can post the instructions here for you. All you would have to do is get your production number from your dealer.
Where are they getting the cars? Last month they said they sold thru most of the inventory. And that the extra cars wouldn’t start until September. This number is delivered cars or ordered cars?
AN – they are coming from other countries production allocation in markets that are not selling so well.
I order my JCW the beginning of July and got it 3 weeks ago.
McDowell has it wrong. The reason 75% of the Mini’s are custom ordered is because the Dealer won’t discount the sticker price.
I ordered my 08 chili red mini on July 1st and am still waiting!!! ….it’s driving me crazy!!
Well Ray that would be true if we had cars but we here at my store (I won’t mention the name out of respect to the Companies who pay to advertise here) we are out of inventory. I have ONE JCW Clubman here for $33,300 in Pepper White with Black that just became available and I’ll bet anyone that it will be gone by Saturday. Anything we get goes quickly. It’s gotten so bad here in the Northeast that people are hanging up in my face when the call to find out we don’t have what they want IN STOCK. People too many times equate one car buying experience with them all and we are not lying here with cars all over our lot dying to sell them. If you know a dealer that has cars they are dying to sell have them give us a call. We’ll more than gladly take them off of their hands!
I don’t know what delivery times they are now quoting, but I picked up my Mini Clubman on June 21st at East Bay Mini (across the Bay from San Francisco), and it took about 9 weeks for me to get it, which I think was pretty quick for back then. It also was fun tracking it online from it’s production in Oxford all the way here.
Alex-
I put down a deposit for an ’09 S well before the production dates were set, with my dealer pretty much guaranteeing me one of the very first slots for the new year. I’m a Week 35/36 cusper, completed 8/31 at Oxford, and it is now on the boat headed for NY (arrives 9/13). I should get it in MA perhaps 5-6 days later. So from production start (around 8/24) until delivery to me, it should take about 4 weeks.
Now there may be a delay from the time you commit to buy until you get a production date. These things is popular and dealers have limited slots.