MINI Posts Highest Ever Worldwide Sales for September
Despite the economic climate in Europe being less than stellar, MINI continues to break sales records globally. Thanks in large part to its diversified product portfolio, sales broke the 30,000 barrier for the first time in September.
Official Release: MINI posted its best ever September sales with 30,562 vehicles delivered (prev. yr. 30,392/ +0.6%). The brand has also had its most successful first nine months ever – in the period up to and including September, MINI sold 223,214 vehicles, an increase of 7.2% in worldwide sales compared to the same period last year (208,223). Last month at the Paris Auto Salon, the company unveiled the MINI Paceman. The MINI Paceman is the world’s first Sports Activity Coupe in the premium compact segment and it expands the brand’s portfolio to seven models. The MINI Paceman is expected to provide further momentum for MINI when it arrives in the first half of 2013.
<p>I guess this should tell everyone that still cannot understand why the Countryman is in the line-up – just why it makes sense to Mini. And remember; this is just sales (i.e. volume). I will expect that profitability for the brand as a whole is up too based on Mini improving its “economy of scale”.
JI</p>
<p>This is hard to really interpret. Growth comes from increasing sales of current vehicles, adding new vehicles, and adding new markets. Being up just 0.6% year on year when there are more cars in the portfolio isn’t really the groundbreaking headline that goes with the article.
Dont’ get me wrong, this isn’t bad news. But it sure could have been a lot better.</p>
<p>The Geneva debut of the POLO R could take a bit out of MINI domination.</p>
<p>Really have to agree with you on this. I’ve thought that VW has missed the boat on both the Audi S1 and the Polo. Yes, I know that they are trying to keep the GTI from giving its own competition, but a Polo GTI or R would sell like hotcakes here if priced competitively. The Polo is much like the R-50’s in my estimation. And, I haven’t even touched on the king of them all, the Scirocco.</p>
<p>I wonder how many of these sales are pre-reg to dealers. Certainly in the UK MINI are doing it big time. Looking on the Cherished website it would appear that nearly all the MINI London Special Edition registrations are to dealers.</p>