Click above for a gallery of the 2008 MINI Cooper S.
If you were planning on hitting one of the 82 U.S. MINI dealers to get your hands on a fuel-efficient Cooper or Clubman, it looks like you'll need to look at plan B. Skyrocketing fuel prices has lifted demand of the little British icons to the point that, with the except of pre-orders, all 2008 models are pretty much sold out. The MINI's cute looks and thrifty petrol-sipping discipline have made the retro hatch more attractive than ever. Year over year sales increases of 39%, 52%, and 24% from April-June have all but wiped clean the MINI's already tight inventory.
Although sales really picked up in April, the MINI has been on fire all year, as the 26,400 MINIs sold in the first half of 2008 represents a 33.6% increase over the same sales period in 2007. And thanks to the MINI's already tight world-wide demand, the BMW-owned automaker can only up US shipments by 2-3k units for the rest of the year.
Team MINI wants to keep its new-found fortune coming, too, as it plans to increase its dealer count to 95 stores by 2011. The British automaker will also introduce a diesel MINI once it can pass emissions in all 50 states.
[Source: Green Fuel Forecast]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
J M C 3 @ Jul 22nd 2008 6:01PM
Premium subcompacts are 'in'.
Brad @ Jul 27th 2008 1:11AM
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Dave B @ Jul 22nd 2008 6:05PM
The diesel Clubman can't come fast enough, I wish we could buy it.
James @ Jul 22nd 2008 6:16PM
I would seriously consider a MINI Clubman S Works if it didn't cost $30K
Torrent @ Jul 22nd 2008 6:06PM
Gas prices are high, and these get a 30 MPG Average, so I expect this.
ChrisJ @ Jul 22nd 2008 6:21PM
They're not really competitors but for those of us who'd rather buy a domestic compact with speed. Id get a Caliber SRT-4. Roughly the same price as a Clubman/Cooper S without the horrible british reliability :) Just fix that interior up and we're set.
BlackCanary @ Jul 22nd 2008 6:24PM
They both have crappy German reliability. :)
lvdave @ Jul 22nd 2008 6:28PM
@Chris J. If you had a brain, you'd buy a Cobalt SS. Also if you had a brain you'd know that the new MINI's are made by BMW and are exceptionally reliable.
jonathan charak @ Jul 22nd 2008 6:30PM
Mine has been averaging 39mpg on the combined cycle. That is driving 60-65 on highway in Chicago (ie traffic so not room to speed much more). I have a Clubman, not an S
With the second comment.... the Mini is incredibly reliable plus it has an amazing resale.
The Caliber IMO is the new Aztek (uglier than sin)
Mi key @ Jul 22nd 2008 6:31PM
@ ChrisJ
MINI has been British for a long time. BMW has owned it since the late 90's or early 2000 I believe.
Sam @ Jul 22nd 2008 6:33PM
i guess for a thrifty hot hatch, they're appealing but they're not exactly alone in that market. i guess because they look 'cute' people buy them.
actually had one yesterday next to my original mini, the current models are massive lol.
for fuel economy one of my clubmans has a daihatsu charade engine in it, roughly 40-45mpg!
ed @ Jul 22nd 2008 6:33PM
I'm not shocked about this. I've seen a lot more Minis resently, I've seen more Scions (yes even 2nd Gen Xb's) Ford Focus and Cobalts on the road so I guess people are just buying what they need for what they use their car 95% of the time.
Atomicbri @ Jul 22nd 2008 6:40PM
Damn, so much for my plans on buying one anytime soon! They need to ramp it up over there! LOL! I drove an S here a while back and it was awesome! Plus are built well and have a high resale value, (not to mention good economy!)
Geeky1 @ Jul 22nd 2008 6:55PM
The Mini is a nice little car; I like the interior, and the exterior styling is inoffensive if not attractive. I do however wonder how many of these new owners understand that they're buying BMWs, and they still have BMW reliability (at least the handful that I've seen at work do), and they still cost BMW money to fix.
AfterGasoline @ Jul 22nd 2008 7:37PM
I think pretty much everyone knows now that they're practically BMWs, but BMW is way way better than they used to be. I have an 03 MINI, and I haven't had a single problem out of it.
You are spot on, though, with the cost of maintenance; that runs me about $1200 a year. It's totally worth it, though.
Geeky1 @ Jul 22nd 2008 10:53PM
Yeah, it's not so much reliability as it is maintenance. BMWs are pretty robust cars, save for their cooling systems, the occasional oil leak and the occasional electrical issue. They're just expensive to fix.
Artie Lange @ Jul 22nd 2008 7:26PM
Another site is reporting that there will be an electric Mini in summer '09.
Love Minis @ Jul 22nd 2008 8:19PM
MINI USA, please open a dealership in New Hyde Park, NY or within that area since I see more Mini in my area
compared to the closet dealership that is 18 miles away.
zmf001 @ Jul 23rd 2008 9:46AM
18 miles? You are complaining about 18 miles? Even on 40 MPH roads that is only half an hour away. Most people drive further than that to get to the Mall.
I currently live 45 miles from my closest dealer. Which I am ecstatic about, since I used to live 75 miles from the closest dealer.
Rocketboy @ Jul 23rd 2008 12:07PM
18 miles is nothing. What do you want, a MINI dealer to rent a room in your house?