Put the boot in?

Posted on by Ian C.

Or maybe … “If the shoe fits, drive it”?

This very strange lenticular postcard came my way recently to add to my MINI collection; in one position it shows a Chocolate Brown MINI Clubman, while in the other it changes to a shoe, apparently an Onitsuka Tiger:

The writing on the back is not English, but it seems pretty clear to me that the graphics are explaining how the new MINI Clubman design is based on that of a running shoe.
Or maybe that’s the other way round 😉

I wonder if you get free shoes with every Clubman?

PS:
It’s VERY difficult to photograph a lenticular postcard!

All-new old sales figures!

Posted on by Ian C.

It’s all change for 2008 … MINI USA has changed their press reporting of sales figures, now showing just a monthly total for “hardtop”, “convertible” and “clubman” variants and no longer distinguishing MC / MCS / etc … So I’ve had to change my MINI sales figures web page to match.

One number that immediately jumps out in the new simpler format, is the drop in sales for the convertible (2006, 2007), after a peak in 2005 – I would guess that it’s due to increased convertible competition in the same price range:

YEAR Hardtop Convertible Totals
2002 24,590 24,590
2003 36,010 36,010
2004 31.395 4,637 36,032
2005 29,118 11,702 40,820
2006 29,363 9,808 39,171
2007 34,247 7,798 42,045
2008 2,157 303 2,460
TOTALS 186,880 34,248 221,128

Massachusetts Auto Dealer

Posted on by Ian C.

Although Vin has now left MINI of Peabody and gone to BMW, he of course still loves MINIs, and told me today of an article in Massachusetts Auto Dealer October 2007, a nice write-up about MINI of Peabody (see also an article written in the same publication a few years ago).

The article discusses the success of the “small dealership”, reporting them as “the number one franchise in the United States” (clarifying “since 2002 the dealership has sold more than 4,000 MINIs, the most of any MINI dealership in the US“):

It’s a great article, talking as much about the MINI culture as about selling MINIs at the dealership:
… the psychographic of MINI customers: statement-makers, outside-of-the-box thinkers, an artistic group that’s typically very fun and interactive [?]
… much of the success comes from repeat business; the dealership has customers on their fifth MINI … [!]
… customers love the dealership …
MINI is more than a romance, it’s nearly a religion

There’s also a great side box about Hrach, an unabashed full-blown Mini-holic, a Mini legend

I wonder what other Massachusetts dealerships make of this article?! 😉