Mini USA's Maxi Models Are Generating Majority Of BMW's Mini Sales In America

Through the first eight months of 2015, the majority of U.S. sales generated by BMW's Mini brand were developed by four-door models.

The so-called Mini Cooper Hardtop 4-Door, the stretched version of Mini's third-generation hatchback, was released as an all-new model at the beginning of this year. 10,425 Mini Cooper 4-Doors have been sold so far. In many other markets, it's referred to as the 5-Door, and it's not to be confused with the upcoming Clubman. 

---

U.S. Vehicle Sales Rankings By Model - August 2015 YTD

---

In the prior generation, the Clubman was a stretched version of the conventional Mini but did not have four traditional passenger doors. The Clubman version of BMW's third Mini Cooper is essentially a Mini wagon. The 2016 Clubman goes on sale soon, priced from $24,950.

Mini Cooper 4-Door

Another 10,879 4-door Minis were sold in the first eight months of 2015 in the form of the Countryman crossover. On sale since late 2010, Countryman volume peaked in the United States at more than 22,000 units in calendar year 2014. In 2015, Countryman sales are down 29%, year-over-year, a loss of 4337 units compared with the first eight months of 2014.

Overall Mini volume is up 16% to 40,560 units in 2015, placing the brand on track for more than 60,000 sales, an upgrade compared with 2011 and 2014 but likely fewer sales than the brand managed in 2013 and 2014. 

That pace could improve if the Clubman is warmly welcomed, but a hot-selling Clubman may intrude into the 4-Door and Countryman's slice of the pie. 

Mini Countryman

In 2008, Mini USA sold more than 54,000 vehicles when the brand's lineup was small: no Countryman, Paceman, Coupe, Roadster, or any 4-door product whatsoever. Mini is generating added sales now, compared with that period, but to do so, the brand was forced to introduce a bevy of new products. 

During the first eight months of 2015, 43.5% of the Minis sold in America were four-door models, all in the form of the taller Countryman.

Timothy Cain is the founder of GoodCarBadCar.net, which obsesses over the free and frequent publication of U.S. and Canadian auto sales figures. Follow on Twitter @goodcarbadcar and on Facebook.