MINI is having a record sales year thanks to the high gas prices. Sales in the first six months of this year were up a record 33.6 percent with a total 26,400 units sold.
According to Tom Kowaleski, BMW’s North American vice president of corporate communications, BMW is not planning on increasing production of the popular MINI in the near future. As of July 1st MINI dealrers in the US had a total of only 1,051 cars. Kowaleski stated that MINI marketing execs are currently accessing the situation before they ask BMW to increase production. He also stated that the pricing for the 2009 models are also under review due to the rising cost of commodities and the weakening dollar.
Full Story: eGMCarTech
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Comments (7)
You have a hot item and want top margins for it, of course you don't double production and destroy demand....just like the Nintendo Wii.
Posted by Noya | July 9, 2008 3:00 PM
Posted on July 9, 2008 15:00
@ Noya
but that just means dealers are going to increase the mark up price and the consumer loses and people are going to purchase these cars less, so in return your hurting the market.
right?
Posted by HELLO | July 9, 2008 5:51 PM
Posted on July 9, 2008 17:51
smart really unlike the big 3 that that increase production, mini is thinking smart if they increase production the resale goes down.
Posted by o | July 9, 2008 9:07 PM
Posted on July 9, 2008 21:07
I find really about the MINI is a really pretty funny car.
Posted by paul | July 10, 2008 2:22 AM
Posted on July 10, 2008 02:22
My friend at work just bought a Mini. Its not the faster model, but that thing is still pretty zippy. Its fun as hell to drive.
Posted by Sean | July 10, 2008 5:47 AM
Posted on July 10, 2008 05:47
thank you Sean for sharing this with us. Do you only have one friend?
Posted by Waldorf (statler is on holidays) | July 10, 2008 7:34 AM
Posted on July 10, 2008 07:34
I think the main reason they aren't going to increase production is the realization that gas prices are going to fall here in the near future, and they don't want to be stuck with extra vehicles. Even Dodge is banking a decrease in pricing in the coming months. They are even talking about regulating speculation in the oil industry to calm down the oil prices as well as the gas commodity pricing. Smart move on their part. It's those folks who put the ads on TV for gas speculation that are winding the gas prices up.
In a fairer world, we could sue the speculators!
Posted by Wayne | July 10, 2008 9:42 AM
Posted on July 10, 2008 09:42