Americans taking a good look at the MINI now that gas is $4/gallon
While not the highest-mileage car on the road, the little MINI has got style to go with its 37mpg (U.S.). Maybe that's why MINI USA is announcing that Americans are showing more interest in MINI than ever before. Visitors to the MINIUSA website were up almost 89 percent in May compared to a year ago. People are doing more than looking, too, with sales in the first five months of 2008 up 36 percent compared to January-May of 2007. MINI USA's vice president Jim McDowell said in a statement (available after the jump) that a lot of new people "who haven't thought about a MINI before are checking us out. We're thrilled to have them - and hope they join those of us who discovered a long time ago that you can have a hip, cool car that's fun to drive - and still save at the pump." Sure, gas prices might have something to do with this, but let's not discount the power of the MINI Weinermobile.
Press Release:
RISING GAS PRICES SPARK HISTORIC INTEREST IN MINI
MINIUSA.COM Experiences Unprecedented 88.9% Increase in Traffic as Americans Look to MINImize Their Gas Intake with the Coolest Small Car on the Market
Woodcliff Lake, NJ – June 12, 2008... In the wake of skyrocketing gas prices, MINI USA has received more than 920,000 visits to its website, MINIUSA.com, in the month of May – a record 88.9% increase from May 2007. MINI, which established the premium small car segment and has nearly doubled its sales over the last six years since its launch in the U.S. , is now the subject of unprecedented consumer interest as Americans look to smaller, more fuel efficient rides to help ease the pain at the gas pump.
The greater interest has already begun to result in increased sales for the coolest small car on the market - for the first five months of 2008, which included the highly successful launch of the MINI Clubman, MINI has experienced a 36% increase in sales compared with the same period a year ago.
"MINI has always been proud of its incredible fuel efficiency - we get 37 miles to the gallon, which is as good as most hybrids - and it has certainly been one of the reasons people choose to drive our cars," said Jim McDowell, Vice President of MINI USA. "What we're finding is that literally hundreds of thousands of people who haven't thought about a MINI before are checking us out. We're thrilled to have them - and hope they join those of us who discovered a long time ago that you can have a hip, cool car that's fun to drive - and still save at the pump. The world is becoming more MINI every day."
This weekend, hundreds of MINI owners and their MINIs will hit the road for some major fun when MINI Takes the States 2008 kicks off in Miami . The MINI tour will hit four cities this summer – Miami , Boston , Chicago and Los Angeles . In each city, there will be two days of action-packed events and activities, including an autocross, go-kart racing, rock climbing, a fun zone, a mountain bike stunt show, a car wash and more. Rolling Stone magazine, the number one pop culture reference, will also present performances by leading musical acts, including Michelle Branch and Blues Traveler, which are sure to rock the crowd. MINI Takes the States celebrates the spirit of the MINI brand in the U.S. , and fosters a sense of community among a growing group of passionate owners and enthusiasts.
MINI in the US
MINI is an independent brand of the BMW Group. In the United States , MINI USA operates as a business unit of BMW of North America, LLC which has been present in the United States since 1975. Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003. The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, an industrial design firm in California ; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country. BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group's global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all Z4 models, X5 Sports Activity Vehicles and X6 Sport Activity Coupes. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 338 BMW passenger car centers, 335 BMW Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 142 BMW motorcycle retailers, 82 MINI passenger car dealers, and 30 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers. BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group's sales headquarters for North, Central and South America, is located in Woodcliff Lake , New Jersey .
[Source: MINI]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
James 3:39PM (6/12/2008)
ONE BIG PROBLEM, IT STILL USES GAS.
THESE DONT
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4n6iK9yQa7M
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Throwback 3:41PM (6/12/2008)
I owned a first gen new Mini. The car was blast to drive and very frugal on gas. However, build quality was disappointing (dash squeaks/rattles) several recalls disguised as "service bulletins". The other issue is the Mini requires premium gas, even the base Mini.
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Dave 4:16PM (6/12/2008)
I have considered a Mini as an economical, fun to drive, short trip car to replace my non-efficient car. But after driving a hybrid, I absolutely hate coming to a stop and leaving the engine running.
Come on BMW, bring Efficient Dynamics to the Mini in the US! I want to see, auto start/stop, electric power steering, brake energy regeneration, air vent control (automatically blocks the radiator when engine cooling is not needed) and LRR tires!
With those features in the Mini, the economy in it would likely get very close to the efficiency of the Civic Hybrid.
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steven 3:55PM (6/12/2008)
Well, based on THAT video, those tricycles have a lot more than just the one problem the Mini has.
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James 4:01PM (6/12/2008)
Steven, these "tricycles" are too zap what the model T was to Ford.
If you cant see that you should go home, take a nap and wake up in 100 years, im sure by then you will see what i mean.
Electric cars are gonna end up on top, leaving you and your skeptic buddy's gas tanks dry and empty.
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ron 4:04PM (6/12/2008)
A Chevy Cobalt gets 36 mpg, why can't a Mini get at least 40?
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Peter 4:10PM (6/12/2008)
Except the Model T was something people actually wanted. The Zap, not so much. It is more golf cart, than car. Good for gettign around a gated community, but dubious in the real world.
The Prius is more todays Model T, than the Zap is.
I am surprised by the total lack of information on Zaps pages. Range, battery type, battery life, battery price??
Mini Diesel gets Amazing mileage. They need to bring that over.
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James 4:20PM (6/12/2008)
Nope, the Prius uses gas. these are among the first street legal electric cars.
People do want electric cars and zap is making their rides more appealing every day! Its over for internal combustion. Electric cars will be the future, whether it is forced upon us or we choose to change, time will tell.
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Peter 4:24PM (6/12/2008)
"A Chevy Cobalt gets 36 mpg, why can't a Mini get at least 40?"
I assume you are referring to cobalt XFE, specially tuned for mileage and with low resistance tires. I like what GM did with XFE and I would like to see more car makers do the same (mileage enhancing features on standard cars).
It(XFE) gets 25/36 (29 combined) vs the standard Minis 28/37 (32 combined). Perhaps with low resistance tires and some Aero improvements it could hit 40 on the highway.
These are also EPA numbers. I bet in the real world the gap is even wider.
Next up, why can't the XFE which gets worse mileage than the Mini, handle better than the mini?
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James 4:31PM (6/12/2008)
Oh... The mini is an Economical excuse not a solution!
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MikeInNC 4:55PM (6/12/2008)
I had a first gen MINI and it was a great car. We're considering the new Traveler to replace the Volvo S40 and V50 we have (I get about 28mpg combined from the S40).
Until someone comes out with an electric vehicle capable of 90mpg, with a range of at least 200miles and a recharge time of less than 15 minutes electric will not replace gas. You can't drive accross the state taking 6 hour breaks to refuel. It just isn't practical.
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BrianM 4:58PM (6/12/2008)
@ James...
While Electric MAY be the next major trend, it's not going to happen all at once. It'll be a slow trickle of early adopters at first, then if it's really a REPLACEMENT (I need 300 mile range at 65mph to get Anywhere in Wyoming ~ coupled with rapid-charge for the return trip the same day), people will move over. If it's just a Supplement, then it will be a slow trickle for a long, long time. I imagine what's a Supplement for one will be a Replacement for another.
BUT, there will ALWAYS be people with their classic cars who will demand gas. They won't care what the cost is because it's their Toy. IC engines are around for at Least another 50 years, and probably more like a hundred or more. Maybe not in the majority of hands, but common enough that you'll still see one every year in the summer on nice days.
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steven 5:17PM (6/12/2008)
One interesting thing is... why does the 2008 Mini printed sales brochure say the Mini gets 40MPG? Maybe pre-2008 EPA mileage rating?
BTW James, those fugly tricycles are not cars, at least not in the US. They are are about as crash prone as my 3 year old's tricycle as well. Spend any time in India and you'll see... sans the 2-stroke smoke granted.
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dp 6:19PM (6/12/2008)
I'd buy a diesel version of this car in a heartbeat. Of course I live in the USA, so we can't.
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Nichole 6:47PM (6/12/2008)
Hi, I'm from MyRide.com. While the Mini might provide immediate savings on gas, many automakers have unveiled environmentally friendly hybrids and hydrogen fueled cars that have the potential to provide longer term savings at recent auto shows. MyRide.com has a great article called "What's Next: Hybrids and Hydrogen" that highlights these future cars at http://www.myride.com/research/editorial/snacker/category/gallery.html?snackerId=537¤tItem=1&id=31002
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Snowdog 7:19PM (6/12/2008)
Nice collection of concept car pictures, but most of those are pie in the sky. The mini saves you gas and you can actually buy one. Hydrogen cars are impractical/inefficient/hideously expensive.
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why not the LS2LS7? 8:29PM (6/12/2008)
dp:
Fifth Gear did a side-by-side review of the Diesel Mini versus the regular Mini, and they said they'd get the gas one.
For starters, the Diesel didn't do as well on mpg as they expected.
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dp 8:41PM (6/12/2008)
why:
I read the Fifth Gear review. A diesel is a matter of choice. I like the torque myself. I once had a 2006 VW TDI Golf and it was an excellent performing vehicle. Outstanding fuel economy as well. I am simply reminiscing about what the Mini D might be. I don't think we'll ever see them in the states.
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Good ol Boy 9:13PM (6/12/2008)
Nice. But how come my big old 1986 Olds 88 FWD with a 3.0 V6 got 32 MPG on the hiway, and these little sardine cans can barely get 37? *shakes head*
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Snowdog 9:28PM (6/12/2008)
Do you have a link to that fifth gear review? Because when AutoExpress reviewed a bunch of "green" cars and tested real word mileage, the Mini D came out on top of everything with 57mpg (Imperial I assume) real world.
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/grouptests/221670/mini_cooper_clubman_d.html
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