October MINI sales saw an increase of 2.1% (29,418) with the MINI Countryman the brand’s biggest growth driver in the month (8,536 / +13.8%). MINI sales in the year to date are slightly down on last year’s level (295,354 / -1.6%).
Overall the BMW Group has sold more cars in October than ever before in the month, despite the current challenging economic and political situation. The company delivered 200,883 vehicles to customers around the world, an increase of 1.7% on the same month last year. That result brings the company’s year-to-date sales total to 2,035,695, up 1.3% compared with the first ten months of the previous year.
“In a highly volatile environment, we have achieved steady sales growth both in October and the year to date,” said Pieter Nota, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for Sales and Brand BMW. “Our clear focus remains on profitable growth during this unpredictable period, especially in Europe, where the market continues to experience significant pricing pressure following the introduction of the new WLTP testing procedure. Meanwhile sales of our electrified vehicles are up over 40% in the year to date. Around every fifth BMW 5 Series sedan or BMW 2 Series Active Tourer sold worldwide has a plug-in hybrid drivetrain, while our all-electric BMW i3 remains very successful with sales up over 10% in October,” Nota concluded.
Electric Vehicle Sales
October deliveries of BMW i, BMW iPerformance and MINI Electric vehicles totalled 13,016 units worldwide, an increase of 38.4% on the same month last year. Sales of BMW Group electrified vehicles in the year to date total 110,560 (+41.6%), yet again confirming the company’s position as a leading global provider of premium electrified mobility. Electrified vehicles play an increasingly significant role in overall BMW Group sales: in October, 18.4% of BMW 5 Series sedan sales and 23.1% of BMW 2 Series Active Tourer sales was the plug-in hybrid variant. The BMW i3, which has achieved increasing sales ever since it was launched in 2013, grew its sales by 10.8% (3,158) in October. The company is expecting to achieve its target of 140,000 electrified sales in 2018 and intends to achieve total electrified sales of over half a million by the end of 2019. In 2025, the BMW Group will have at least 25 electrified vehicles in its model line-up, 12 of which will be fully-electric vehicles. At the end of this month, the company will celebrate the public world premiere of its hotly anticipated iNEXT Vision Vehicle at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
BMW & MINI sales in the regions/markets
All three major sales regions have contributed to the BMW Group’s increased sales in the year-to-date. Thanks to full availability of current BMW and MINI models in Europe, sales in the company’s home region have increased in October and the year-to-date figure is at the same high level as last year. Deliveries in the Americas and in Asia in the first ten months of the year show steady growth.
<p>All of us who are passionate about MINIs should be aware that the F-series MINI is – with the exception of MINI USA – a global sales success story.</p>
<p>TOTAL MINI GLOBAL SALES:</p>
<p>2002: 144,119
2003: 176,465
2004: 184,357
2005: 200,428
2006: 188,077 (R56 changeover)
2007: 222,875
2008: 232,425
2009: 216,538 (Global economic downturn)
2010: 234,175
2011: 285,060 (R60 First full year)
2012: 301,526
2013: 305,030
2014: 302,183 (F56 changeover)
2015: 338,466
2016: 360,233
2017: 371,881(F60 on sale)
2017: 300,212 (YTD)
2018: 295,354 (YTD)</p>
<p>It should be pointed out that the 2002-2006 R-series sales were from just two models: Hatch (Cooper, Cooper S) and Convertible.</p>
<p>That’s true. However, at the peak of the second generation R-series sales in 2013, despite there being seven models on sale, 75% of the sales were shared between just two models – the Hardtop and the Countryman. No wonder sources are telling us that the next generation MINI will comprise just three models. “Less is more”.</p>
<p>Share Of Total Global MINI Sales 2013</p>
<p>R56 Hardtop 42%
R60 Countryman 33%
R57 Convertible 7%
R54 Clubman 7%
R61 Paceman 5%
R58 Coupe 3%
R59 Roadster 3%</p>
<p>It’s interesting to compare MINI USA vs Global Annual Total Sales, in which we can see a clear correlation from 2002 to 2015. Thereafter, MINI Global sales follow an upward trajectory, whereas MINI USA sales follow a downward trajectory.</p>
<p>Low fuel prices in the US together with an upsurge in customer preference for SUV/Crossover vehicles is undoubtedly a major cause, reinforced by the fact that the Countryman is the best seller in the MINI range.</p>
<p>MINI USA TOTAL ANNUAL SALES</p>
<p>2002: 24,590
2003: 36,010
2004: 36,032
2005: 40,820
2006: 39,171 (R56 changeover)
2007: 42,045
2008: 54,077
2009: 45,225 (Global economic downturn)
2010: 45,644
2011: 57,511 (R60 launch)
2012: 66,123
2013: 66,502
2014: 56,112 (F56 changeover)
2015: 58,514
2016: 52,030
2017: 47,105 (F60 on sale)
2017: 38,456 (YTD)
2018: 37,359 (YTD)</p>
<p>Great look at the data as always Nick.</p>
<p>That’s a big difference from 2013 to 2017.</p>
<p>Things started to go belly-up during 2014, and end of the year total sales foretold of things to come.</p>
<p>MINI USA TOTAL SALES 2014</p>
<p>Hardtop 2/4d 22,843 (-15.3%)
Countryman- 22,645 (+6.2%)
Convertible– 3,536 (-20.7%)
Clubman—– 2,613 (-49.3%)
Paceman—– 2,082 (-36.2%)
Roadster—– 1,437 (-48.8%)
Coupe——– 0956 (-62.4%)
Total——— 56,112 (-15.6%)</p>
<p>This is what Gabriel wrote on January 5, 2015:</p>
<p>“With the F55 four-door Hardtop picking up steam and the F54 Clubman about to join the ranks, we’re refining our initial forecast for 2015 with 12-month sales between 68,500 and 71,000 vehicles. What are your predictions for 2015?”</p>
<p>We have to admire Gabriel’s optimism. The all-new F54 Clubman was the second best seller in the range in its first full year 2016, but had to wear the indignity of being beaten into first place by the obsolete R60 Countryman, and from the moment the all-new F60 Countryman went on sale in 2017, Clubman sales fell away like a lead Zeppelin.</p>
<p>Those were lower than MINI’s internal projections if I recall. No one expected fuel prices to so quickly sink in the US that year.</p>
<p>Absolutely – all the indications were that MINI USA would follow the rest of the world in the light of new models coming on stream, but unexpected events intervened and the rest as they say is history.</p>
<p>As an indication of how things have changed, in 2008 MINI USA sales accounted for a record 23.27% of all MINIs sold worldwide. By 2013, MINI USA’s best ever sales accounted for 21.80% of all MINIs sold worldwide, and by 2017, MINI USA sales accounted for 12.67% of worldwide sales.</p>
<p>Wow.</p>