Maximum Mini:

[BMWDave]

For the first seven months of 2005, Mini sales rose 25.6 percent.

Maximum Mini: New maketing boss wants to push sales goals even higher
DIANA T. KURYLKO | Automotive News
Posted Date: 8/17/05
WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J. -- At BMW's North American headquarters, employees and their offices look as upscale as the vehicles they're selling. So it's easy to tell when you're in the tiny section Mini occupies.

Neckties are banned here, and casually clad workers -- even wearing a wild green Hawaiian shirt is OK -- occupy colorful cubicles loaded with toys.

Mini's new chief, former BMW marketing guru James McDowell, sports a green polo shirt and a striped worker jacket from the Oxford, England, factory with his name on the pocket.

Four months ago, McDowell swapped his top BMW marketing job with Jack Pitney, who headed Mini. McDowell turned in his $80,000-plus 6-series company car for a yellow $26,900 Mini Cooper S with a manual transmission. He inherited a staff of 33 employees -- 12 at headquarters and 21 in the field.

The move fulfills a career goal to run a subsidiary, or what McDowell calls "my own little company."

McDowell hasn't stopped smiling. Mini sales continue to skyrocket, and supply remains constrained, standing at six days as of Aug. 1. For the first seven months, Mini sales of 25,641 were up 25.6 percent, compared with a drop of 0.9 percent at sister division BMW.

Goal: Double sales

McDowell believes Mini can easily double its sales in the coming years as it rolls out new models and variants. Mini sold 36,032 cars in the United States last year, a number Mini will meet if not exceed this year, McDowell says.

"You will see steady growth from Mini over the next five years," says McDowell. "We will continue to add to our product offerings. We will continue to expand the dealers that we have."

Although the factory in England is running at full throttle, it can't make enough Minis to meet the demand. To get a read on sales, McDowell visited 25 percent of Mini's 80 dealerships in his first four months.

"Many of our dealerships have a waiting list of six months or longer," he says.

But that's not a big problem for Mini. It is less affected than other brands by the U.S. buyer's desire to buy a car off the showroom floor.

The average buyer equips the Mini with $4,000 in options. There are no discounts or incentives. Even BMW or Mini employees pay full sticker price because of the shortage of cars, says McDowell.

Next generation

He's reluctant, as his predecessor was, to talk about what body style will join today's hatchback and convertible. The much-anticipated station wagon could arrive when the range is redesigned in late 2006, followed by a two-seat roadster.

"I imagine at least four body styles, and there is always demand for even more powerful Mini motors," McDowell says.

He believes Mini can grow in size: "It can't get two sizes bigger and still be a Mini, but it can get one size bigger so long as the wheels are still at the corners."

Next year, Minis will get new engines from a joint BMW and PSA/Peugeot-Citroen project. U.S. cars will get a 1.6-liter engine that's normally aspirated or turbocharged.

McDowell says Mini could add dealerships in areas of the country where customers must drive long distances for service, but it can't expand much beyond today's 80 dealerships.

Many dealers are expanding their stores and building stand-alone Mini dealerships.

In 2002 when the brand was launched, Mini had no exclusive dealerships. Today there are seven.

Says McDowell, "Part of that is that the Mini franchise has proven to be bigger and more profitable than all of us realized at the time we set up Mini."

[Raghavan]

a 4 door mini would be great.

[Raza]

What do I have to major in in college to get his job?  

[SargeMonkey]

Mini should make a tiny truck like a elcameno(sp?) that would rule, and a tiny SUV with all wheel drive. Maybe a tiny van...

[BMWDave]

Mini should make a tiny truck like a elcameno(sp?) that would rule, and a tiny SUV with all wheel drive. Maybe a tiny van...

they definitely have variants in the works, though an El Camino would be cool B)

[SargeMonkey]

It should also be rear wheel drive if they do make a El Camino out of it, hell maybe I'll make one my self. But I don't know about a four door theres not going to be much room back there.  

[Raza]

Why would they do that?  Wasn't one El Camino enough?

[Run Away]

Why would they do that?  Wasn't one El Camino enough?

One was too much. :o

[SargeMonkey]

I liked the Chevelle based ones they were nice and a modren one, like the SSR, would be nice, but for less that 40k and with a better power to weight ratio. Basicly what is needed is a very sporty truck, whats out there now is slow, the lightnings dead, the Silverado SS is weak, and that dodge ram SRT 10 is bull plop.

[Raza]

I liked the Chevelle based ones they were nice and a modren one, like the SSR, would be nice, but for less that 40k and with a better power to weight ratio. Basicly what is needed is a very sporty truck, whats out there now is slow, the lightnings dead, the Silverado SS is weak, and that dodge ram SRT 10 is bull plop.

The Trailblazer SS is coming out--it's an SUV, close enough  :o

Fast trucks make me sad.

[SargeMonkey]

I'll make it a pick up with a saws-all and some duct tape! :redneck: