The numbers are in and sales of MINI USA officially has bested 2014. While sales were down a substantial 24% for the month of December, throughout the year MINI sold a total of 58,514 compared to 56,112 in 2014. Looking at December’s numbers the Countryman performed well with over 2,000 sold. That is in stark contrast to the two door hatch which sold under 1,000 units for the month.
Global sales should be out in the coming days. Only then will we know if MINI has finally broken its all time sales record originally set over 40 years ago.
MINI Pre-Owned Vehicles
In December, sales of MINI NEXT (certified pre-owned) were 981 vehicles, up 12.0 percent over December 2014. For the year, MINI NEXT (certified pre-owned) sales increased 23.1 percent to 11,621 compared to 9,444 in 2014.
– Total MINI Pre-Owned sales for December were 2,279, an increase of 9.4 percent from December 2014.
– Total MINI Pre-Owned sales for 2015 were 26,778, an 8.1 percent increase from 2014.
<p>These sales are not record by any means. They are actually pretty poor compared to other years.</p>
<p>If only MINI had a pickup truck. I’m joking, please no.</p>
<p>This really continues the thoughts I have about the issue being the new model. People in Europe may be okay with buying whatever, but the new cars are simply boring, unattractive and dull.</p>
<p>This article does not claim that MINI USA achieved any sales records in 2015. The headline simply reads, “MINI USA SALES UP 4% YEAR OVER YEAR”.</p>
<p>That, however, does not tell the whole story. If we compare the combined sales of the R55/R56 in 2013 – MINI USA’s best ever year – with the combined sales of the F55/F56 in 2015, we see that a significant sales record was achieved in 2015.</p>
<p>MINI USA SALES 2013 vs 2015</p>
<p>Total R55/R56 = 32,109 vs Total F55/F56 = 34,967</p>
<p>Total R60/R61 = 24,587 vs Total R60/R61 = 18,394</p>
<p>The problem is not with the new F-Series MINIs, but firmly with the soon to be replaced R60/61. All other R-Series MINIs have been out of production for some time.</p>
<p>Considering that 2013 was the R-series’ outgoing year and 2015 has the brand spanking new F-series at full production including the new 4-door, shouldn’t the F-series kick a bit more butt?</p>
<p>It did before they revised article title. It had read, “MINIUSA posts record year end sales”. The F5x models aren’t selling well. The R60 outsold F56 2:1. Compare that to years where R60 and R56 were sold concurrently.</p>
<p>F56 is actually selling well in the US, and finished the year at 19,778. Admittedly that’s 8% down compared to the year before, but that is due to the popularity of the F55, which sold 15,189 in the year. R60 sold 16,686.</p>
<p>With a premium of just $1,000, the F55 represents great value for money, providing not only two extra passenger doors, but more rear leg and head room, and a larger boot, and sacrificing very little of the dynamic ability of the F56.</p>
<p>BMW Group Worldwide 2015 sales figures will be published this Monday. MINI haters are strongly advised to wear extra strong belts and suspenders that day, because the record MINI sales figures are very likely to blow their pants off! :-)</p>
<p>I don’t call 30K F55/F56 combined sales strong. The R56 managed nearly twice that in 2008 before Countryman even came around. The F56 hasn’t been nearly as successful as you would think a brand new model would be. The F55 and F56 combined barely surpassed what the R56 sold in its 6/7thth full and final year, 2013.</p>
<p>Well, it was actually 35k vs 32k. In 2013, MINI USA had seven variants for sale, but for most of 2015 it effectively only had three – F55/F56 and R60. R61 sales have always been negligible, R55/58/59 were long out of production, and R57 ceased production at Plant Oxford at the end of April.</p>
<p>Having said that, compared to the rest of the world, the transition from R56 to F56 was handled very badly by MINI USA. I am confident that their good fortune will be fully restored in 2016, assisted by the launch of F55, F57 and F60.</p>
<p>Also,the F55 styling is quite awful. It makes an already bulbous shape even more unappealing. A friend of mine spotted one and said “whoa, look at that MINI Cooper van!”, when we drove past one. I had to clarify that it wasn’t an MPV, even though it sorta has weird shape of one. They’ve really messed up the classic styling present in the R models. What a shame.</p>
<p>I have to disagree with you about the styling of the F55. I think the extra wheelbase length and the slightly longer rear overhang, are now more in harmony with the front overhang. By the way, In the ferociously competitive European Hatchback market, and here in SE Asia, the F55 is selling like hot cakes.</p>