WHAT'S COMING UP?

Avenue of the Giants Weekend Run - Sat. March 23, 2024

Saturday will be a very full day of cruising from Novato up through the Avenue of the Giants and ending at Eel River Brewing in Fortuna. Sun...

Going Down, Down, Down, Down, Down, Down

Today BMW Group USA announced sales figures that show a continuing downtrend across the board. Look at these horrific numbers for MINI USA:
MINI USA reported sales of 4,610 automobiles, down 27 percent from the 6,312 cars sold in May 2008. Year-to-date, MINI USA also reported sales of 16,780 automobiles, a decrease of 20.8 percent, compared to the 21,189 cars reported in May 2008.

Of course, there is the ever optimistic quote from Jim McDowell, Vice President of MINI USA whose appointment to the post coincided with the commencement of the steep decline in MINI sales:
"In May, the small car market continued to be soft due to restraint in new car purchases and gas prices that are around 40 percent lower than a year ago," said Jim McDowell, Vice President of MINI USA. "Nonetheless, once again last month, MINI sales improved over the previous month and we continued to outperform the segment by a wide margin."
You know Jim, if there are only a few in the segment, and you created the segment, you are likely to outperform your late to the dance competitors.

(Jim, are you concerned about MINI Phase 3 expansion? Shouldn't you please the segment you are "outperforming" before you compete in segments laden with competition like the SAV/Crossover? Isn't a bigger MINI a contradiction in terms?)

[Source: TheAutoChannel]