Worldwide MINI Sales Down 2% for May
Official Release: MINI achieved a new milestone in the past month by reaching a total of more than 2.5 million deliveries to customers since its relaunch under the BMW Group in 2001. Nearly 3,000 MINI Paceman vehicles, the latest addition to the MINI family, have been sold since its launch in mid-March this year.
Worldwide sales for MINI were slightly down last month with 26,955 cars delivered (prev. yr 27,533/ -2.1%). Year-to-date, MINI worldwide sales are at around last year’s level with 117,694 units sold in the first five months (119,538/ -1.5%).
<p>seems most people are waiting for the F56</p>
<p>That’s a curious interpretation of a 1.5%ytd decline.</p>
<p>What I mean is many people who may have considered moving to the brand as in previous years could be holding off until the F56 is released, and there will be others with leases and finance who may plan to keep hold of their cars for a bit longer until they see the new hatch, whereas in the past they would have accounted as a new sales figure every 3 years or so if they were loyal to the brand. I know its a strange interpretation, and it may not account to the whole decline, but I think it’s a valid thing to consider in the run-up to a new model’s release.</p>
<p>My reaction isn’t so much about your analysis failing to “account [for] the whole decline” so much as taking issue with how you can look at a VERY small sales difference and deduce that “most people” (or even, as you later use, “many people”) have decided to wait for the F56.</p>
<p>Is this slip in sales due to the looming next-gen car? Maybe. I doubt it, but maybe. But is it indicative of a shift in the way most/many people are looking at the brand? Not at 1.5%, it’s not.</p>
<p>It is hard to deduce with it being such a small number, but like I say I do believe many people accounting to that sales slip could have done so for that reason. It’s hard sometimes to come up with a reasonable all-round explanation for a tiny drop in credit for a brand as successful as Mini, but I don’t think it is a waning reputation, more a affect of anticipation, that isn’t to say it is right nor that internal problems haven’t accounted to it.</p>
<p>I think maybe we’re having a language barrier issue.</p>
<p>Sorry my bad, I meant put 2,000 units then 200. Adding more 0’s than I needed. It’s the middle of exam period over here so my brain is a little scrambled :P</p>
<p>Family are picking up a new MINI out the Factory today, last
of the R56 Coopers. I want to wait and see before I change. But MINI is getting
less MINI and more BMW. Over hangs etc and less retro taking some of the character
and fun out the car. If I don’t like it then there is the fiat 500 Arbarth or
A1 sport. Repeat loyal customers will fall away if MINI does not watch. Making
a car better is one thing but striping it of its Retro character that attracted
me to the mark in the first place could be a deal breaker. The interior looks absolutely
terrible if you ask me and the shape at the front looks long to that of the
squat MINI we know. I must emit I hate the one series I think it’s a car that
you buy when you either have no taste or cant be arsed being interested over
its something that takes me form A to B. MINI is not about that!</p>