MINI USA Sales Down 11% for November
MINI USA sales were down across the board for November with one major exception – the F55 four door. Perhaps bolstering MINI’s case for more four door in the line-up, MINI’s newest four door in the US market even outsold the always popular Countryman with 1,325 sold in November. As you can see in the chart below, that’s not far from the brand’s bread and butter two door hatch.
While these numbers are certainly not great, they do bode well for the larger four door Clubman which will hit dealerships late this month and early next.
Official Release: For November, MINI USA reports 4,444 automobiles sold, a decrease of 11.3 percent from the 5,009 sold in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date, MINI USA sales are 53,505 vehicles, an 8.1 percent increase from the same period last year.
MINI Pre-Owned Vehicles
In November, sales of MINI NEXT (certified pre-owned) set a November record with 812 vehicles, up 3.8 percent over November 2014, with a year-to-date gain of 24.2 percent to 10,640 cars over the same period in 2014. Total MINI Pre-Owned sales for November were 1,906 cars, an increase of 10.3 percent from November 2014. Total MINI Pre-Owned sales year-to-date were 24,499, an 8.0 percent increase from the same period in 2014.
“There were fewer selling days in November, yet the demand for new vehicles is solid resulting in the ninth record sales month for BMW this year,” said Ludwig Willisch, President and CEO, BMW of North America.
<p>“..bode well for the larger four door Clubman which will hit dealerships late this month and early next.”</p>
<p>Ahhhh, that would be six (6) door Clubman</p>
<p>This bolsters what I said last month… people just aren’t buying into the new design, pricing, performance (lack thereof) or attitude the new MINI brand has. It certainly shows a general decline in interest when two months in a row, the brand’s sales have been way down like this. I’m hoping this bodes well to Mini going back to the old way of things at the LCI or at worst the “G5x” models around 2020.</p>
<p>If there’s one thing you could change with the current MINI, what would it be?</p>
<p>I’m torn between complete overhaul of styling and complete overhaul of powertrain/suspension/brakes to make the new cars more like their predecessors. I would also like to see a true LSD, something at least as basic as a Civic Si has but more in line with VW’s VAQ. There are too many things hindering the brand to only choose 1.</p>
<p>Ok… If you can’t change the engine, what would it be?</p>
<p>If engine had to stay, it would be overhaul of other drive related items like suspension, steering, brakes, diff. Then closely followed by styling.</p>
<p>I would disagree with you. If you count the F56/F55 as a whole (which is reasonable, as they’re very nearly the same car, doors not withstanding) then F-generation MINI sales are doing quite well.</p>
<p>If you look at the numbers, YTD in 2015 MINI has already sold 32,764 Hardtop (F56/5) models, which is more than any other year on record for MINI Hardtops and there is still a full month of sales left. I would call this a success.</p>
<p>If you look at the models with stagnating/imploding sales, they are all very old and about to be replaced.</p>
<p>While I agree with you on the design issue personally I would say that the dropping gas prices are having a major impact. With prices dropping below $2 in some parts of the country buyers are mostly choosing crossovers and SUVs.</p>
<p>MINI is not about to change anything, and why should it? Plant Oxford is working at full capacity, and MINI is currently churning out a record 1,000 cars a day to meet demand. The problem for MINI USA, however, as J Luis points out, is not with the F-series MINIs but with the remaining production R-series MINIs.</p>
<p>R60 Countryman was previously MINI’s second best selling model, but it has not aged well in the face of more modern competition. Small/medium SUVs are the fastest growing sector in the global automobile industry, and yet R60 US sales are down 30% year on year. F60 Countryman can’t come soon enough for MINI USA.</p>