MINI USA March Year-on-Year Sales Drop 18.3%
It’s another month of poor sales numbers for MINI. What’s odd here is that world-wide, MINI is doing pretty well. But here in the US, there is no denying that the brand is lagging the field. A combination of low fuel prices, product introduction timing and more segment competition is really hurting sales in the US. Interestingly, the MINI dealer network is more bullish, with the recent introduction of the 2016 Clubman, and the soon-to-be-released 2017 Countryman, Michael Vadasz, chairman of the MINI Dealer Council, expects to retain many MINI owners who still love their cars, but have outgrown the past product mix.
Matt’s MINI Index shows the effects of low gas prices here in the US. Scion is the only brand with any growth to speak of, and it’s on life support until Toyota pulls the plug in July. But the index is down almost 9% overall. Not a good month for any brand the relies on small cars.
Woodcliff Lake, NJ – April 1, 2016… Sales of BMW brand vehicles decreased 12.5 percent in March for a total of 30,033 compared to 34,310 vehicles sold in March, 2015. Year-to-date, BMW brand is down 10.0 percent on sales of 70,613 compared to 78,492 sold in the first three months of 2015.
Of particular note in March, were strong increases in the sales of BMW Sports Activity Vehicles, in particular the BMW X1 and the BMW X3. The popular new BMW 7 Series continues its sales success, increasing by 16.1 percent over March 2015.
“It’s been a tumultuous first quarter of the year for business in the U.S. with plenty of volatility even in the premium vehicle segment,” said Ludwig Willisch, President and CEO, BMW of North America. “The desire for premium Sports Activity Vehicles continues accelerating at a strong pace in the U.S. and I’m very pleased that our SAV plant in South Carolina will make another production increase in the months ahead to help us satisfy the ever-growing demand for our X models.”
To see and hear more of Ludwig Willisch’s business perspective click here.
MINI Brand Sales
For March, MINI USA reported 4,762 automobiles sold, a decrease of 18.3 percent from the 5,829 sold in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date, MINI USA reported a total of 10,839 automobiles sold, a decrease of 15.2 percent from 12,777 automobiles sold in the first three months of 2015.
MINI Pre-Owned Vehicles
- Sales of MINI NEXT (certified pre-owned) set a March record with 1,090 vehicles, up 15.8 percent over March 2015.
- Total MINI Pre-Owned sales also set a March record with 2,442 cars, an increase of 16.1 percent from March 2015.
- Total MINI Pre-Owned sales year-to-date were 6,526, a 13.5 percent increase from the first three months of 2015.
<p>Clubman is eating into the hatch sales rather than the Countryman ones. Interesting.</p>
<p>The new Clubman has been out for a very short time and is just now satisfying strong initial demand. Let’s see what it looks like in six months. I would love to know what the manual tranny take rate is.</p>
<p>It’s interesting that pre-owned sales are setting records despite the low fuel prices and brand competition. Could it be that folks are more attracted to, and can more likely afford, the R-series MINIs?</p>
<p>That’s exactly what’s happening. Even the people at the two local mini dealerships have said to me that the reception of the new styling, drive, and overall performance has not been very good and people are doing all they can to snap up the remaining certified R56 models.</p>
<p>I spoke with a dealer on the SF Peninsula. His take was that the Countryman was losing out because of the older generation tech, and that a lot of his dealership Clubman sales were from previous Clubman owners who took in the older Clubbie as a trade in. The numbers may look like the new Clubman is taking sales from the hatch, but I’m not sure if that’s accurate. Maybe it’s more that the whole range is down, but the new Clubman is doing what it’s supposed to: Keeping owners in the brand that like MINI, but want a larger offering as the family grows. I think it will take a couple more months or longer to sort it all out.</p>
<p>In SF and peninsula, I’m seeing lots of R56’s, an increase in the number of 1st Gen Clubman’s and even more R50/53’s. Seems like lots of people bought pre-owned MINI’s in the last 12-18 months. I’ve even seen a few more R59 coupes. Rarely saw any in the previous 12-24 months.</p>
<p>I’m surprised that Mazda is last. Below Smart and Fiat?! wow. Don’t understand that. Also that VW still sold almost 30,000 vehicles considering all the negative press and issues (yes limited to diesel) they have had.</p>
<p>For what it’s worth, I probably would not include Subaru in “Matt’s Mini Index”, because even though they are really cool, desirable cars, their main drawback is poor gas mileage due to the all-wheel drive on all their models. (Which, for me, explains why low gas prices have not impacted them — their customers prioritize other things than fuel economy).</p>
<p>Locally in my “red state”, it seems that every time gas prices fall 5 cents a gallon, my neighbors trade in their cars for an even less economical one, like pigs shoving their noses into the slop. Then they slap a Trump bumper sticker on their gargantuan, shiny, $45,000 SUV that claims the economy is in ruins….</p>