http://www.motoringfile.com/2008/07/...up-18-in-june/

 

That's more than the 15% they initially predicted.

 

I haven't seen any US sales figures yet but I'm getting the impression that you are taking more than we are. (Summat to do with the US love for large cars perhaps? )

 

thanks for the link, I was wondering why it is taking 2 months to get my MCC.

 

We take all that we can get. It's a 2-5 month waiting list no matter where you go. If MINI would build more for the US, we'd buy more. I have a lot of people telling me they want to find a used one, and I tell them they're better off to order a new one because they won't find a used one, and there won't be any significant savings with a used one.

 

Well, I know you lot pinched my December build slot to make launch Clubmen!

(Not that I'm blaming anyone personally, of course. And I gained by getting an '08 car instead of an '07, but it didn't feel much of a gain waiting from October. )

 

You can blame me, that's fine. I had my initial order in on December 23rd.

 

Now that does seem rather long.

Do you have a delivery date yet?

(I promise you'll forget the wait as soon as you get it.)

 

Three inches of rear leg room.

Now is the 1 in 5 materiel or demand limited?

 

It doesn't surprise me at all that the Clubman is becoming more popular.

I think it is very interesting though - many of those who POO POO'D it before it hit the streets, are now seeing it, driving it, and want one....

Donna

 

which begs the question ... what is every fourth MINI?

 

Oh, I picked it up on March 27th. Though that was my second order. My first one was ready at the end of Feb., but my wife convinced me to abandon the order in order to change colors.

 

That's great!

 

gbmini posts the US sales figures on his site. Just google gbmini. 4800 through June.

 

I couldn't justify buying a car that wouldn't at least transport my three kids (and with no sacrifice of mpg). I'm sure that I am not alone. My wife maybe wants one now (she isn't getting mine).

 

I wanted the extra length. I'm 6'5" and my 6yo daughter is in the 85% in height and she ain't gettin' any shorter.

 

I'm 6'2" with long legs. The front seat touched the back in the R56. Makes it hard to put a kid there. The 5 yr old fits fine behing me in the Clubby, and they all love it (except when I make random fast turns onto side streets because I can).

 

More would sell if more were produced. I swear that almost every time I come out of a store or other public place I find people standing around my Clubman peering in the windows and talking about it. Invariably I end up passing along my MA's information after about 5 minutes of showing off. I hope I start getting a commission! It happens in restaurants as well where the people sitting nearby will say "did you see that new Mini Clubman parked outside?" I have only heard one complaint and that was from a 14 yr old girl who said the Clubman wasn't a true Mini and was ruining the whole line. What can you expect from a non-driver....

 

WoW

 

Donna/Mike hit the issue on the head. The Clubman looks far better in person than in photos. I drove mine from my Boston home where it usually lives to my condo in ohio where my work office is located. A friend of mine has a 2004 and had displayed no enthusiasm over my buying a Clubman. Then when I drove it to my office and parked it in the space adjacent to his preferred spot, it stopped him in his tracks. He could not believe how good it looked. He's now a believer. I think that is happening all over the USA as Clubmans start to appear on the streets. Whether its sales get to 1 in 4 or 1 in 3 will probably depend on what Mini does with 2009 pricing. I suspect we will see it be a $2500+ adder to get a Clubman in 2009. Considering the list price of the electronic stability that is standard, we paid next to nothing for the additional space. With the cost of steel skyrocketing, they can't afford to give it away anymore.

 

^
^
^
That would be me

 

I remember the first 2002 mini I ever saw, on display in a mall. I leaned in through the window, gazed at the instrumentation, loved the layout, and grinned from ear to ear. I turned to my wife, who was doing the same, and commented that it was a shame such a beautiful car was so impractical for our 4 person family. That comment was solely in reference to the lack of leg room in the back seat. Fast forward to 2008, I am in the market for a fuel efficient car, and I see my first Clubman on Edmunds.com. Giddyup!! We were in a showroom within a week. I would not be surprised if the Clubman eventually ends up closer to 50% of builds. Why? I have driven both the MC & MCC and have not noticed an appreciable difference in performance (disclaimer: I do not race for a living). Plus, there are 2 MC owners in my community who are already thinking of trading in for a MCC! Purists may still gravitate to the MC, however I think there is a large segment of auto buyers, new to the mini experience, that will see the Clubman as a wonderful balance between fuel efficiency, practicality, and style. Damn, now I sound like I'm on their payroll!

 

we have 2 kids, 2 dogs and a wheelchair + stroller to move around - if there was no Clubman (w/roof rack - I hope..) there would be no MINI for our family, we never seriously considered a MINI until this came out and I am very happy they 'expanded' the model lineup

the capacity, performance, looks and fuel economy are a potent combination

50% may be possible, with the growing wait times on Clubmans, would MINI be able to shift production slots from one model to another model? would be a shame to lose customers who did not want to wait 4 to 6 months