Mini dealership network to expand by 20% to meet demand
2009 Mini Cooper S Convertible – Click above for high-res image gallery
The next 18 months will be huge for BMW's MINI brand. Execs are looking for big sales increases by 2011, and the fuel efficient little car company is adding 17 dealerships to its retail network in that time frame to help get the job done. The additional dealerships will predominantly go to urban areas that don't currently have a MINI presence, bringing the total figure to 100 dealerships in the States. MINI is looking for a "double digit increase" from 2008's record 54,077 U.S. sales by 2011; a number that is impressive considering the current state of industry sales, but more likely due to the addition of a new model line (Clubman) as much as anything else. With more dealers in the fold, the lofty sales goals ought to be attainable, though, provided the nation's economy improves.
The first new dealer network, which comes online later this year, will be in Birmingham, Alabama. The next 18 months will see still more openings in urban hotspots like Austin, Texas and Seattle, Washington. For a complete list of new locations, hit the jump to read the press release.
[Source: BMW]
PRESS RELEASE
MINI USA TO EXPAND U.S. DEALERSHIPS BY 20 PERCENT TO SUPPORT DOUBLE DIGIT SALES GROWTH TARGETS
Woodcliff Lake, NJ - June 22, 2009... MINI USA has confirmed its intention to expand its 83-strong American dealer network by 20 percent during the next 18 months to a total of 100 outlets across the country.
Most of the additional 17 MINI dealerships will be located in cities or areas that will be new markets for the brand.
Speaking at a New York City meeting, MINI USA Vice President Jim McDowell revealed: "Starting in 2011, our aim is to raise MINI sales by a 'double-digit' percentage compared with last year's total of 54,077 cars delivered and this will correspond with a substantial expansion of our network coverage.
"We are celebrating a major landmark for MINI this year, its 50th Birthday, and we are pleased to announce plans for another significant milestone for the brand – the development of our national dealer network to 100 outlets," he added.
"We are pleased to be in a position to dramatically increase our U.S. dealerships. I have often said that the world is becoming more MINI every day, and I believe that that sentiment is true, now more than ever, as consumer tastes shift decidedly to cars that offer tremendous value. Our cars are not only fuel efficient, and offer great value, but they also provide a fun and dynamic motoring experience and are packed with personality."
The first of the new dealers to become operational this year will be MINI of Birmingham in Birmingham, Alabama. Speaking of the dealership's appointment to the MINI USA network, General Manager Mark Gerloff said: "I am delighted to be given the opportunity to represent such a stylish and iconic brand in Alabama, and be given the opportunity to bring the unique attributes and heritage of MINI to our customers."
In addition to Birmingham, Alabama, MINI will open dealerships in the following cities: Pensacola, Florida; Alexandria, Virginia; Austin, Texas; Seattle, Washington; Fort Myers, Florida; El Paso, Texas; Ontario, California; Louisville, Kentucky; Raleigh, North Carolina; Knoxville, Tennessee; Loveland, Colorado; Madison, Wisconsin; Mount Laurel, New Jersey; Allentown, Pennsylvania; San Diego, California and Tempe, Arizona.
Industry sales in the US this year have recorded a 37 percent decline through May, but MINI continues to outperform its competition and its market share continues to increase despite a sales decline over 2008.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Brad 5:46PM (6/22/2009)
Finally Seattle gets its own Mini dealer. The complaint I hear most from Seattle Mini owners is that they have to drive a half hour away to the nearest dealer. This makes no sense given how popular they are here.
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Yaroukh 6:12PM (6/22/2009)
...especially when you look at the I.Q. stats JDPower has just released. Mini almost makes Land-Rover look like a product with decent quality. :)
zamafir 6:25PM (6/22/2009)
I'm not quite sure what's going on really, mini sales have joined bmw in their big declines, JD thinks quality is very low, yet BMW is predicting a jump in sales? Sure, u can dismiss JD if you really want, but the sales data is there.
Fernando 7:59AM (6/23/2009)
I agree with the two posters above. JD Power ranked the Mini dead last in initial quality yet they expect sales to miraculously rebound?
opjoppjopjpj 6:23PM (6/22/2009)
I find it amazing that they have sold this many at the prices they do.
Half the car for the same price, amazing. I can't wait for the crossover...$34,000 for a vehicle half the size of most!
Brilliant BMW! Give them half the actual material for the same price. Its marketing at its best. Almost better than the whole "go green" thing...here buy a $7.00 light bulb with mercury in it to replace the .25 cent one you used before so you can "save the planet." Ha! People are idiots. lol
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Sam 6:38PM (6/22/2009)
Even with the new dealer locations, the nearest dealership for me is still 78 miles away ! With this in mind, it is NOT likely that I will be buying a MINI anytime soon. Who wants to drive almost 2 hours to the nearest dealership for repairs etc. NOT ME !
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Redline 7:52PM (6/22/2009)
And according to JD Powers there will be A LOT of repairs...
why not the LS2LS7? 7:22PM (6/22/2009)
So, BMW MINI sales are down 25% and they're going to open 20% more dealerships to meet demand?
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/06/02/by-the-numbers-may-2009-gm-and-ford-surprise-edition/
That sounds kinda like a mistake to me.
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Bennet Pullen 8:01PM (6/22/2009)
Probably because MINI was the only brand to post a sales increase last year (by DSR). Even with sales down over last year they are still up vs 2 years ago which isn't something virtually anybody else can say.
http://www.autoblog.com/2009/01/05/by-the-numbers-2008-phew-glad-thats-over-edition/
It's also probably because there are so few MINI dealers, not even 2 per state! I have a friend in Seattle who has been waiting to get one till a dealership opens up in the city so if there are more people like that all over more dealers could very well equal more sales for them.
Iwa 8:29PM (6/22/2009)
"It's also probably because there are so few MINI dealers, not even 2 per state!"
That's not the case at all. Florida has seven MINI dealers, five of them in metro Miami.
why not the LS2LS7? 8:58PM (6/22/2009)
Sales may have been up before, but they're down now.
If the dealer network survived last year, they can survive this year, and if sales go up 11% next year as they suggest, they will still be down 17.5% from two years ago. (0.75*1.11 = 82.5).
Again, seems like a mistake to me.
why not the LS2LS7? 8:59PM (6/22/2009)
Crap, down 17% from last year (which will be two years ago at the time of measurement).
Tourian 11:34AM (6/23/2009)
They'd already committed to this before the drop in sales. Plus, adding a dealer to Birmingham, where people either had to drive two hours plus to Atlanta or Nashville to get one, might actually mean more buyers then they had before at all.
artandcolour 7:23PM (6/22/2009)
they should be putting money into improving the sorry quality of the Mini before they try to sell any more. but i suppose the people that buy them don't care about quality because they're so cool. at least with more dealer, i suppose, buyers will have less distance to travel to their dealers for their frequent repair visits.
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Farris 8:07PM (6/22/2009)
Wow, the spammers are getting technically savvy and copy/pasting what other people write!
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RayCee 9:53PM (6/22/2009)
Mini is growing its market share in the US each year.
JD Power reliability surveys don't differntiate between small faults and major ones. MINIs are generally the small and that doesn't usually put buyers off as long as the dealer service is good.
There are 50 states in the US and less than 100 dealers so that is less than 2 per state. Not enough by far.
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ChaoZ 12:02PM (6/23/2009)
I've really been disappointed by MINI's direction of late. From the abysmal update in 2007 to the Clubman to the gawdawful interiors that they try to pass off as trendy.
The 2002-2006 MINI was great, anything since has been tripe.
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