Official Release: MINI USA reported sales of 4,872 automobiles, with minus 3.8 percent almost on par with the 5,063 cars sold in the same month of 2008. Year-to-date, MINI USA also reported sales of 25,757 automobiles, a decrease of 18.1 percent, compared to the 31,463 cars reported in the first seven months of 2008.

“While not out of the woods yet, we are witnessing a gradual recovery in the marketplace,” said Jim McDowell, Vice President of MINI USA. “We saw a significant up-tick in showroom traffic throughout the country, especially in the last week of July, with some help from the ‘Cash for Clunkers’ initiative and the Western and Central Regions exceeding July 2008 results.”

The BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported July sales of 21,253 vehicles, a decrease of 26.7 percent from the 28,977 vehicles sold in the same month of 2008. The BMW Group also reported a year-to-date sales volume of 135,701 vehicles, down 27.4 percent, compared to 186,890 vehicles sold in the first seven month of last year.