MINI USA June Sales Down 10.3%
June was another down month for sales for MINI USA. Dropping 10.3% compared to June of last year, it’s more of the same for MINI. Yes, it was a down month for the whole industry, dropping about 3% (a couple of companies have yet to report). MINI dropped over 3 times as much as the industry as a whole!
For some context, US light vehicle sales are a glass half full, a glass half empty, depending on how one looks at it. The half full camp looks at the fact that total sales this year are looking like they will be somewhere close to 17 million units, near record highs. The half empty camp looks at the fact that year-on-year monthly sales have dropped for six straight months, incentives and inventory are both growing, and these three items should lead to worry.
But for MINI, annual sales are far from record highs. Last year, MINI USA delivered 52,030 units. In 2013, MINI’s best year in the US, deliveries totaled 66,502. And this year is down over 11% compared to last. This funk extends beyond just sales. Looking at Automotive News’ web site, there are just two articles about MINI in the month of June, both about Oliver Heilmer taking over MINI design, but he doesn’t even start until September 1st! Contrast this with news about BMW, that had 30 articles in June. Heck, BMW had 4 articles just on the first business day of July!
This lack of presence extends to the official press release about BMW USA group sales, where BMWNA just quotes the numbers, with no text describing anything about the brand. Just a scant 2 sentences cover new MINI sales.
But the news isn’t completely bad: MINI moved up one spot on Matt’s MINI index, jumping over Mazda. (But even against the MMI, MINI did poorly. In June, the MMI grew 3.4%!) The Countryman held it’s own, and the 2 door hardtop actually had a good month, up 18% to over 1,000 units! But the 4-door hardtop and the Clubman both had poor months, not good for MINI at all. Used car sales are up though. MINI has moved 15,652 used cars year-to-date. And let’s not forget, if you don’t find a MINI model that you really want to buy, you can always get an umbrella!
Official News Version: Woodcliff Lake, NJ – July 3, 2017…
MINI Brand Sales
For June, MINI USA reported 4,410 automobiles sold, a decrease of 10.3 percent from the 4,914 sold in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date, MINI USA reported a total of 22,205 automobiles sold, a decrease of 11.7 percent from 25,144 automobiles sold in the first six months of 2016.
For June, MINI USA reported 4,410 automobiles sold, a decrease of 10.3 percent from the 4,914 sold in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date, MINI USA reported a total of 22,205 automobiles sold, a decrease of 11.7 percent from 25,144 automobiles sold in the first six months of 2016.
MINI Pre-Owned Vehicles
- In June, MINI Certified Pre-Owned sold 890 vehicles, a decrease of 11.3 percent from June 2016.
- Total MINI Pre-Owned sales set a June record with 2,481 vehicles in June 2017, an increase of 8.6 percent from June 2016.
- Total MINI Pre-Owned sales year-to-date were 15,652, a 14.5 percent increase from the first six months of 2016.
<p>IT’S OFFICIAL – THE MINI COUNTRYMAN IS MINI USA’S BEST SELLING MODEL IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 2017</p>
<p>MINI USA SALES YTD</p>
<p>F60 6,364
F56 5,448
F54 3,778
F55 3,766
F57 2,840</p>
<p>This should come as no surprise to anyone. The Countryman was MINI USA’s best selling model throughout the whole of 2016, and the second best selling MINI 2011 – 2015. Expect to see to see even more impressive Countryman sales figures throughout the test of the year.</p>
<p>The F54 Clubman – previously the rising star in the MINI range – is down 27.3% in June and 14.4% YTD. This again was totally foreseeable, and is more or less exactly what happened following the launch of the R60 after the initial flurry of interest in he R55 Clubman.</p>
<p>BTW, BMW USA X1 sales were up 62.5% in June and 22.6% YTD. “A front-wheel drive BMW will never sell in the US” – you have to be kidding me!</p>
<p>Makes you wonder if you’d be able to get a deal on a clubman. I already see ones at used lots with massive discounts. I’d love a cheaper f54 jcw ?</p>
<p>Not a surprise with the X1. Same HP as the JCW, and not that much more costly than the S version of the countryman. Mini is just not a value proposition anymore. It’s a premium small car, so why not just step up to the roundel. Mini is pricing themselves out of their market share.</p>
<p>I agree with you that the X1 appears to be exceptionally good value in the US compared to the Countryman. BMW USA and BMW UK, however, market the X1 very differently. In the US there are just two variants on offer, whereas in the UK there are no less than sixteen variants available.</p>
<p>I have selected two variants from the Countryman range and X1 range respectively for comparison. The X1 is only available with Xdrive in the UK. The only X1 engine offered in the UK that nearly matches the F60 JCW is the 25d at 230hp. Both the F60 S and X1 20i share the same engine in the UK.</p>
<p>MINI USA COUNTRYMAN -vs- BMW USA X1</p>
<p>F60 S RWD auto $31,200 -vs- X1 sDrive auto $33,750
F60 S AWD auto $31,700 -vs- X1 xDrive auto $35,750</p>
<p>MINI UK COUNTRYMAN -vs- BMW UK X1</p>
<p>F60 S AWD auto £28,665 -vs- X1 xDrive 20i Sport auto £32,920
F60 JCW auto £32,590 – vs – X1 xDrive 25d Sport auto £37,780</p>
<p>Another poor showing for every model in the US. Selling literally 1 additional Countryman vs last year’s June sales is just terrible. An all new model selling only as well as what it replaced shows the redesign isn’t successful in the eyes of the prospective customer. Since going to the new MINI F-chassis code, each model has suffered from lackluster styling, performance and insane weight gains, plus prices have climbed exponentially. MINI is not what it used to be in any conceivable manner. What’s weird is that every other brand is in a huge weight reduction phase while MINI & BMW aren’t very successful following suit. A Clubman S weighs more than a VW GTI! Let that sink in got a minute.</p>
<p>Insane weight gains simple isn’t true. The F56 (and F57) got lighter than the R56/R57 outside of the US market. The reason they were slightly heavier in US spec was the additional safety equipment that came standard.</p>
<p>The Clubman and Countryman got heavier because they both got dramatically larger. That was a conscious decision which (right or wrong) was based on what research showed customers wanted.</p>
<p>The manual will be around for the foreseeable future. BMW has improved EPAS on its cars so I suspect the MINI will continue too improve. While they’re not the worse they’re not industry leading.</p>
<p>I think others going back to basics is both marketing and a mixed bag. There are plenty of cars that you reference that can’t be compared with MINI or BMW in terms of dynamics. The area where BMW and MINI have both fallen short isn’t dynamics. It’s driver connection and feel.</p>
<p>That last point is key. There are plenty inside MINI that are painfully aware of some of this and there are some that desperately want to change it in the next generation.</p>
<p>Your last sentence is hope for the future–Thanx Gabe</p>
<p>I second everything ConcernedCitizen said—spot on. What is hard for me to understand is the great success MINI continues to have in Europe. European cars to me always emphasized, smaller size, good fuel economy and by association lighter weights. MINI is drifting in exactly the opposite direction yet MINI worldwide is booming. Hoping new design chief improves the models by 2020, otherwise I’ll save my money and get a new, 2020 US spec Lotus Elise</p>
<p>I think unfortunately we’ll have to wait until 2022 for the next generation MINI.</p>
<p>Good! Because no manufacture should get rewarded for taking things away which BMW have been busy doing, such as the multiple lease deposits savings (Arch rival Merc has no intention doing away with theirs) as well taking away items formally covered in the included maintenance.</p>
<p>Like brake pads at over $300 for just the rear set on my less than 10,000m 2017 Cooper S.</p>
<p>I thought I did enough research before I bought the car, had I realized I would either not buy it again or realize the only Cooper worth having unless it’s the JCW, as it’s meant to be driven like Minis are marketed.</p>
<p>Buy the S and you’ll forever wish you would had just spent the difference for the JCW, because you’ll spend more than that on the dealer JCW Kits or aftermarket upgrades to bring to the Mini at where should be.</p>