MINI USA Sales Down 14.6% for August
MINI USA Sales were down for August by 14.6%. A total of 3,800 vehicles were sold, a decrease of 14.6 percent from the 4,448 sold in the same month a year ago. Sales were strongly led by MINI Countryman, which accounted for 40 percent of sales with 1,548 vehicles sold. Year to date, MINI sales are down 1.0 percent.
On a positive note MINI USA’s pre-owned sales are way up. MINI Certified Pre-Owned sold 1,370 vehicles in August, an increase of 39.2 percent from August 2017. In total MINI Pre-Owned sold 2,954 vehicles in August, an increase of 9.7 percent from August 2017.
The big news here is that the Countryman has surpassed the combined sales of the F55 and F56 in August. While this has happened once or twice before, this gap (100 units) may signal a shift in the focus on the brand in the US. In other words, if it wasn’t clear before it is now. The small crossover segment is now the driver of sales for MINI in the United States.
What this might mean for future product development and product additions remains to be seen but the BMW brand may give us a sneak peak. That brand has shifted from sports sedan and coupes to crossover to the point that sales of the X3 is almost double that of the 3 Series (the brands major sales driver for the past 30 years).
<p>Not only has the Countryman outsold the combined sales of the F55/F56 Hardtop in August, it has done so for the eighth consecutive month.</p>
<p>However, Countryman and Hardtop combined accounted for 76.70% of MINI USA sales YTD. The Convertible accounted for 13.35% YTD and the Clubman 9.95% YTD.</p>
<p>At the peak of R-series sales in 2013, the R56/R60 combined accounted for 72.60% of MINI USA sales, with the R57/R58/R59/R61 making up the remaining 27.40%.</p>
<p>So, not a lot has changed except for the total number of MINI USA annual sales, which in 2017 were the lowest since 2010, and 2018 YTD sales are down a further 1%.</p>
<p>It certainly is a sign of the times that the new X3 is outselling the 3-series, BMW’s traditional former best seller. However, sales of the current 3-series are down YTD mainly because of the imminent arrival of the all-new CLAR platform G20 3-series. Spy pictures have also surfaced of the new 3-series Touring.</p>
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<p>According to Autocar, the 330e was spotted testing alongside a Tesla Model 3 on tow. A fully electric 3-Series is not expected, with that car instead set to be part of the 4-Series lineup. It’s a sign, however, that BMW is benchmarking its car’s all-electric mode with a similarly-sized full EV.</p>
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<p>Autocar has reported that according to its latest sources, BMW is not only pushing back the fourth generation MINI until 2023, the late 2019 planned makeover might also be canned as part its comprehensive overhaul. In addition, sources are saying that an axe is not only hanging over a future Cabriolet version, but also over a future 2-door Hardtop (3-door Hatchback). Such models are becoming increasingly unpopular with consumers.</p>
<p>We know by now that BMW is committed to building all its future models on either the new CLAR platform for rear-wheel-drive models, or the new FAAR platform for front-wheel-drive models. Both platforms, according to BMW platform strategist, Lutz Meyer, will allow vehicles to be produced with ICE, PHEV, or pure EV. Of course, such a multi-fuel platform will be much more expensive than today’s rather simpler UKL platform, which will be phased out progressively from 2021.</p>
<p>If all goes to plan, the fourth generation MINI will be built on a separate and much cheaper to produce platform, co-developed with Great Wall Motor, and a three-cylinder engine with mild-hybrid assistance will be standard issue on the new MINI models. We should expect a compact 5-dr Hatchback, a “reinvented” Clubman and a Countryman, all more lithe than today’s models. A pure-EV version of the platform, spun into two models, is part of GWM’s plan to offer seven EVs in its range by 2025.</p>