MINI USA Sales Down Sharply Due to Massive Model Change Over
You can’t sell cars if you don’t have them. That’s what a lot of MINI’s US dealers saw in Q2 as the highly anticipated model change over to the new generation of MINIs begin. The result was a 22% decrease Q2 in sales vs the brand’s 2023 numbers and some holes in the model line-up.
Not surprisingly the biggest loser in sales were models that aren’t currently being made. The top of the list at 75.4% down is the five door Cooper which is being replaced with an updated F65 model starting with July production. Next is the Clubman which was off 73.6% vs Q2 20234. Sadly it’s not being replaced at all as MINI hopes the Countryman and five door Cooper can fill the gap.
MINI doesn’t breakdown the sales of the new generation vs the old but it’s safe to say that the reason the 3 door Cooper hardtop and Countryman saw better volumes due to their replacements trickling into dealerships in the last two months.
As always it’s fascinating to look at MINI’s sales figures compared to some single BMW models. One particularly interesting comparison is the BMW X7 which outsold the entire MINI brand in the US during Q2. Why is it interesting? The profit margins on the X7 are likely the highest of any product BMW makes vs MINI which are likely the lowest.
This is fascinating. I really think BMW would do a better job with MINI if it returned to Mini’s earlier ethos of being a vehicle for the people, instead of a luxury hatchback, crossover SUV, etc. They already have their own lineup of luxury vehicles, why do they need to make MINI a luxury brand as well? I mean you could still have the SE and JCW variants, just give the general population something more affordable, especially in the EV space. I guess that’s what the E variant is, but it isn’t coming to the US.
For some reason all of the automakers think the majority of Americans are rich, when in fact 50% of the households in the US (including couples and families) make under $75K a year. MINI used to be one of the more affordable EVs back when they were $30K and qualified for the $7,500 tax credit, but no longer. They’d have to do some serious cost cutting and ramp up production quite a bit though to make that happen. They should go back to their roots and build the MINI all over the world.
It will be interesting if you have a global view of sales but you said everything through that phrase ”You can’t sell cars if you don’t have them” !!!! MINI (from R53 and after) was always an expensive car, not practical but well build, full of charm, looooots of character and perfect to drive than the competitive for me. All the prices (from food to energy etc) were unfortunately gone up so it wasn’t a surprise the new prices.
Overall I see Counrtymans in the roads and they are very beautiful. The F66 are going to make their appearance here in Greece from the end of the month and later, including mine. I believe, despite the few bad comments (yes few cause the reactions was way more than the comments),people love it and as I hear want to buy.
MINI was always a unique car for a few buyers (cause was expensive and non practical) that understand the beauty of the design and the special character with the goods and the bads. It begun like that, with the R50/R53 but after a few years with the used R53, R56 I think MINI lost his character and not by MINI but by the buyers with their bad and ugly mods…
I think that the F66 will be a reboot to the routs. I want most of them who ruined MINI to buy the N20, Yaris, ford etc. MINI was never a ….how to say in English…”show-off” (????????? in Greek) despite the pop up and eye catch design. MINI was, is and will something more than that.
And sales will keep being abysmal in the USA…because their new electric models won’t be sold here for another 2 years. Minimum….meanwhile their old EV models are all they have. The problem with making cars a tech commodity–when the new stuff comes out, no one wants to buy the old stuff, why on earth would they? It probably won’t be maintained, and the new stuff wipes the floor of the old stuff.
The good (?) news for MINI? No car manufacturer is paying the <$40K car segment one bit of mind in the USA, because everyone only wants to sell large and expensive SUVs.
The electric MINI Countryman is coming to dealers nationwide. Forty six are already inbound:
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