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The new MINI Clubman is quickly shaping up to be a high seller for the British marque. At Saturday’s meeting between the US dealers and the British manufacturer, numbers were laid out on the table showing that the Clubman is on its way to become the best-seller in the range, with demand outpacing the stock at the moment.
According to Michael Vadasz, Chairman of MINI’s dealer council and general manager at Otto’s MINI in Exton, Pa., many models are customized, “which is what MINI is all about.” The dealers sold 1,695 Clubman models in the first quarter, with a whopping 1,037 units in March alone. The Clubman was the only model in MINI’s line-up that recorded an increase in demand last month, considering that the overall sales of the brand went down 15 percent in the first quarter.
“We see that as a fast growing segment, so having an entry in there gives us that opportunity,” said David Duncan, Vice-President of MINI of the Americas for Automotive News. “And then when you look at the car itself, it’s got a premiumness about it that really takes us to the next level and allows us to compete against brands that we weren’t typically competing against.”
Therefore, moving to a new segment seems to be a winning move so far, with prospects looking even better as, Duncan says: “Our two-door hardtop is only 2 years old. Our four-door hardtop is only 1 year old. We just launched a Clubman the beginning of this year, and we’re about to launch a new convertible. We’re in a very good place when it comes to product.”
There’s even better news on the horizon as the John Cooper Works model is expected in the following months, bringing even more power to the table compared to the 189 HP Cooper S top model.
