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<generator>Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/</generator><item><title><![CDATA[MINI forecasting record sales in 2009]]></title><link>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/02/mini-forecasting-record-sales-in-2009/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/02/mini-forecasting-record-sales-in-2009/</guid><comments>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/02/mini-forecasting-record-sales-in-2009/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/convertibles/" rel="tag">Convertible</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/category/hatchbacks/" rel="tag">Hatchback</a>, <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/mini/" rel="tag">Mini</a></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/first-drive-2009-mini-cooper-s-convertible/1381437/"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/02/03-09-mini-cooper-s-convertible_580op.jpg" alt="" /></a><br />
<div align="center"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><small>Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 MINI Cooper S Convertible</small></span><br /></div>
<br />Despite the overall weak forecast for automobile sales in 2009 in the United Sates and abroad, MINI USA head Jim McDowell is expecting increased sales for his diminutive brand; higher even than record sales of 54,077 posted in 2008, which was an increase of nearly 30% over '07. McDowell points to things like a <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/02/24/first-drive-2009-mini-cooper-s-convertible/">brand-new convertible model</a> finally hitting the sales floor in late March, increased traffic at the brand's website and the fact that all but one MINI dealership in the U.S. were profitable last year. <br /><br />This promise of profitability has 13 new dealerships hoping to come online in the U.S. by March of 2010. More locations should translate into more units sold, making 2009 - the 50th anniversary of the iconic original MINI design - another banner year for BMW's smallest brand.<br /><br /><div class="postgallery"><p><strong>Gallery: <a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/first-drive-2009-mini-cooper-s-convertible">First Drive: 2009 MINI Cooper S Convertible</a></strong></p><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/first-drive-2009-mini-cooper-s-convertible/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/02/01-09-mini-cooper-s-convertible_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/first-drive-2009-mini-cooper-s-convertible/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/02/02-09-mini-cooper-s-convertible_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/first-drive-2009-mini-cooper-s-convertible/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/02/03-09-mini-cooper-s-convertible_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/first-drive-2009-mini-cooper-s-convertible/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/02/04-09-mini-cooper-s-convertible_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/photos/first-drive-2009-mini-cooper-s-convertible/"><img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2009/02/05-09-mini-cooper-s-convertible_thumbnail.jpg" alt="" title="" /></a></div><br />[Source: <a href="http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090302/ANA06/903020318/1178">Automotive News</a> - sub. req'd]<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/02/mini-forecasting-record-sales-in-2009/">MINI forecasting record sales in 2009</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.autoblog.com">Autoblog</a> on Mon, 02 Mar 2009 16:34:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090302/ANA06/903020318/1178>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/02/mini-forecasting-record-sales-in-2009/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/forward/1475410/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.autoblog.com/2009/03/02/mini-forecasting-record-sales-in-2009/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>mini</category><category>mini cooper</category><category>mini cooper sales</category><category>mini sales</category><category>mini u.s. sales</category><category>MiniCooper</category><category>MiniCooperSales</category><category>MiniSales</category><category>MiniU.s.Sales</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Jeremy Korzeniewski]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Mon, 02 Mar 2009 16:34:00 EST</pubDate>
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