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It's no secret that Mini's fortunes have not been good lately. In the first half of this year, Mini has only moved 17,583 cars of its five model lineup in the U.S. Parent company BMW needs to do something. Last month, Mini unveiled the all-electric version of the Mini-Cooper with a range between 146 and 167 miles. Now, a report out from Automobile Magazine says that Mini has canceled the internal combustion engine versions for the entire model range in the next generation of cars. Starting in 2023, Mini will use a skateboard style chassis to underpin the entire lineup. There will be a new downsized mini... a MiniMini, a more compact 3-door version, and a Mini crossover. All would be front-wheel drive and offer 35-kWh or 50-kWh battery packs. Part of the development is being done by China's Great Wall Motors. The electric Minis will be built in China with no word on other manufacturing locations. This follows Daimler's strategy on SMART to make it an all EV brand and build it in China for Chinese consumption. View full article

MINI is introducing an all-electric version of the Mini-Cooper SE. The go-kart like feeling of the MINI is preserved with the battery mounted low in the vehicle floor for a lower center of gravity. Doing so means that there is no reduction in cargo volume. The battery range in the European cycle is approximately 235 KM to 270 KM (146 miles to 167 miles), however official EPA range estimates have not yet been established. Power is delivered by a 181 hp / 199 lb-ft of torque electric motor twisting the front wheels and the electric motor is smaller and lighter than the equivalent gasoline engine. Wheel slip is limited to help the Mini cooper with it unmistakable agility. Zero to 62 mph is 7.3 seconds. Top speed is limited to 93.2 mph. Energy regeneration through braking can be handled in one of two modes. The Mini can be driven in "one-pedal" mode where there is significant deceleration once the driver lifts off the accelerator pedal. This allows the car to more aggressively regenerate the battery in an urban setting. The Electric Mini gets a model specific cockpit with a digital dashboard, providing information such as charge level, driving mode, range, traffic sign detection, and more. While charging the display with give an estimate of the time charging will be finished. DC fast-charging is available and the MINI can accept 50kw charging to gain 80% range in just 35 minutes. Heating and cooling is more energy efficient as well, using a new heat-pump system the interior is heated from waste heat from the electric motor and battery and outside air before feeding it into the air conditioning system. The new heat-pump system uses 75 percent less electricity than a conventional EV heating system. Interior temperature can be controlled before departure via an app on the driver's phone. The electric Mini-Cooper goes into production in November. View full article

Woodcliff Lake, NJ – June 3, 2019… Sales of BMW brand vehicles increased 1.7 percent in May 2019 for a total of 27,109 over the 26,662 vehicles sold in May 2018. all-new BMW 3 Series sedan – the core of the BMW “Ultimate Driving Machine” brand – is proving that there is still room for a high-performing sports sedan in the U.S. market, selling more than 4,300 units in May 2019. BMW X3 Sports Activity Vehicle continues to be the best-selling BMW model in the U.S. with nearly 6,200 units sold in May 2019. BMW Sports Activity Vehicles in total – including X1 through X7 – account for 56% of BMW sales YTD. “We owe much of our continued growth in 2019 to the new 3 Series sedan and our fleet of U.S.-built Sports Activity Vehicles,” said Bernhard Kuhnt, president and CEO, BMW of North America. “I’ve said it before, but as a result of our ongoing product offensive, we have the right product that our customers are looking for right now.” Table 1: New Vehicle Sales BMW of North America, LLC, May 2019 May May % YTD YTD % 2019 2018 2019 2018 BMW passenger cars 13,566 17,074 -20.5 67,613 79,647 -15.10% BMW light trucks 13,543 9,588 41.2 57,200 44,332 29% TOTAL BMW 27,109 26,662 1.7 124,813 123,979 0.70% BMW Group Electrified Vehicle Sales BMW Group sales of electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles decreased 29.7 percent in May 2019 vs. May 2018. Model changeover has limited the current BMW Group electrified lineup to five models including the BMW i3, BMW i8 and i8 Roadster, BMW 530e, and MINI Countryman plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. Plug-in hybrid variants of the BMW X5, the all-new BMW 3 Series and updated BMW 7 Series recently debuted at the Geneva International Motor Show. These models and a plug-in-hybrid variant of the BMW X3 will begin sales in the U.S. at a future date. MINI Brand Sales For May, MINI USA reported 2,822 vehicles sold, a decrease of 33.2 percent from the 4,226 in the same month a year ago. BMW Pre-Owned Vehicles BMW Certified Pre-Owned sold 10,306 vehicles, a decrease of 15.1 percent from May 2018. Total BMW Pre-Owned sold 21,621 vehicles, a decrease of 6.6 percent from May 2018. MINI Pre-Owned Vehicles MINI Certified Pre-Owned sold 1,201 vehicles, a decrease of 13 percent from May 2018. Total MINI Pre-Owned sold 2,807 vehicles, a decrease of 6.7 percent from May 2018. Table 2: Pre-Owned Vehicle Sales BMW of North America, LLC, May 2019 May-19 May-18 % YTD YTD % 2019 2018 BMW CPO 10,306 12,145 -15.10% 47,878 52,998 -9.70% BMW Total Pre-Owned 21,621 23,147 -6.60% 102,611 101,005 1.60% MINI CPO 1,201 1,381 -13.00% 5,381 5,146 4.60% MINI Total Pre-Owned 2,807 3,009 -6.70% 12,510 12,809 -2.30%

BMW of North America Reports February 2019 U.S. Sales. First Deliveries of the All-New BMW 3 Series Just Starting; BMW X7 Sports Activity Vehicle, BMW Z4 Roadster, and BMW 8 Series Convertible Arrive this Month. BMW X Sports Activity Vehicles Accounted for over 55% of BMW Brand Sales in February. Woodcliff Lake, NJ – March 1, 2019… Sales of BMW brand vehicles increased 0.2 percent in February 2019 for a total of 23,558 compared to 23,508 vehicles sold in February 2018. “We’re pleased to end February with a slight increase in sales given our current model changeovers,” said Bernhard Kuhnt, president and CEO, BMW of North America. “As we approach spring, we do so with the all-new 3 series on showroom floors and the X7, Z4, and 8 Series Convertible all starting to arrive in March. We are confident that with these new models added to our already exciting product lineup, we are well positioned for success.” The Spartanburg, SC-built BMW X3 and BMW X5 Sports Activity Vehicles continue to drive sales growth for BMW in the U.S. Taken together, the full range of BMW X models – from the X1 to the X6 – accounted for 55.5% of BMW brand sales in the U.S. in February Table 1: New Vehicle Sales BMW of North America, LLC, February 2019 Feb Feb % YTD YTD % 2019 2018 2019 2018 BMW passenger cars 13,180 14,983 -12% 24,054 26,893 -10.60% BMW light trucks 10,378 8,525 21.70% 17,606 15,631 12.60% TOTAL BMW 23,558 23,508 0.20% 41,660 42,524 -2.00% BMW Group Electrified Vehicle Sales BMW Group sales of electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles totaled 1,110 in February 2019, a decrease of 42.7 percent over the 1,936 sold in the same month a year ago. Model changeover has limited the current BMW Group electrified lineup to five models including the BMW i3, BMW i8 and i8 Roadster, BMW 530e, and MINI Countryman plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. Plug-in hybrid variants of the BMW X5, the all-new BMW 3 Series and updated BMW 7 Series will debut at the Geneva International Motor Show next week. These models and a plug-in-hybrid variant of the BMW X3 will begin sales in the U.S. at a future date. MINI Brand Sales For February, MINI USA reported 2,679 vehicles sold, a decrease of 12.6 percent from the 3,065 sold in the same month a year ago. BMW Pre-Owned Vehicles BMW Certified Pre-Owned sold 8,698 vehicles, a decrease of 9.1 percent from February 2018. Total BMW Pre-Owned sold 18,647 vehicles, an increase of 4 percent from February 2018. MINI Pre-Owned Vehicles MINI Certified Pre-Owned sold 914 vehicles, an increase 6.3 percent from February 2018. Total MINI Pre-Owned sold 2,181 vehicles, a decrease of 2.8 percent from February 2018. Feb-19 Feb-18 % YTD YTD % 2019 2018 BMW CPO 8,736 9,568 -8.70% 16,720 18,681 -10.50% BMW Total Pre-Owned 18, 643 17,930 4.00% 35,816 34,900 2.60% MINI CPO 918 860 6.70% 1,777 1,578 12.60% MINI Total Pre-Owned 2,181 2,244 -2.80% 4,216 4,283 -1.60% 190301_February_2019_BMW_Group_US_Sales_Chart.pdf

Mini has been struggling in the U.S. for the past few as more consumers shun small cars. The brand which expected annual sales to total 100,000 vehicles by 2017, peaked at about 66,500 models in 2013 according to Automotive News. Sales through the first ten months of the years have totaled 37,359. This isn't good news for the 127 standalone Mini dealers in the U.S. as it makes it tough for owners to justify the investment. In 2016, 45 percent of Mini dealers reported being unprofitable. A year later, that number rose to 54 percent. "As a dealer and a manufacturer you have a vision of where the brand is going, and you have to prepare for it. In this case, the vision now isn't what it was when some of these stores were built," explained Jason Willis, a member of the Mini National Dealer Council and general manager of fixed operations at Willis Auto Campus in Des Moines, Iowa. Mini's parent company, BMW is considering various options to help improve profitability. One of the options on the table is allowing dealers to integrate Mini into their BMW stores. To make sure the brands stand apart, Mini is looking into having a separate showroom with dedicated employees for sales and service. "We've given a lot of flexibility for the dealers to present ideas. This is to help make sure that, until our next wave of product, and the market becomes more favorable, our dealers each remain a strong and going concern," said Thomas Felbermair, vice president of Mini Region Americas. But there comes an issue with this idea. Mini has 31 dealers that don't have a BMW dealership that they can integrate into. A spokesman for Mini said they "are looking at additional forms of support for stores that remain fully exclusive," but didn't expand into how they plan on doing that. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) View full article

BMW Group U.S. Reports June 2018 Sales. BMW Group sales increase 0.5 percent in June 2018. BMW brand sales increase 1.5 percent. MINI brand sales decrease 6 percent. BMW Group electrified vehicle sales accounted for 7 percent of total U.S. sales in June 2018. Woodcliff Lake, NJ – July 3, 2018… Sales of BMW Group vehicles (BMW and MINI brands combined) in the U.S. increased 0.5 percent in June 2018 compared to the same month last year. Year to date, BMW Group sales total 176,022 vehicles, an increase of 2.8 percent over the 171,291 vehicles sold in the first six months of 2017. “The first half of 2018 turned out stronger than many expected with June marking the eighth straight month of sales gains for BMW,” said Bernhard Kuhnt, President and CEO, BMW of North America. “We are especially excited about the second half of the year as the new BMW X4 is now making its way into the market and the new, fourth-generation BMW X5 is about to begin production at our U.S. plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina. The BMW X models continue to be a great success story, accounting for 53% of our U.S. sales in June with even better results ahead.” BMW Brand Sales Sales of BMW brand vehicles increased 1.5 percent in June 2018 for a total of 29,407 compared to 28,962 vehicles sold in June 2017. Year-to-date, the BMW brand is up 2.9 percent on sales of 153,386 vehicles compared to 149,086 sold in the first six months of 2017. BMW’s lineup of Sports Activity Vehicles accounted for 53 percent of BMW brand sales in June 2018. Most notably, the first-ever BMW X2 had its best sales month since its March launch (2,150 vehicles), sales of the BMW X5 remained strong (4,355 vehicles) and the BMW X3 had its biggest sales month of 2018 (5,366 vehicles, up 50.5 percent over June 2017). MINI Brand Sales For June, MINI USA reported 4,146 vehicles sold, a decrease of 6 percent from the 4,410 sold in the same month a year ago. MINI sales in June were led by the MINI Countryman (1,471 vehicles). Year to date, MINI sales remain up 1.9 percent. BMW Group Electrified Vehicle Sales BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) sales of electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles totaled 2,253 in June 2018, an increase of 20.2 percent from the 1,874 sold in the same month a year ago. BMW Group electrified vehicles accounted for 7 percent of U.S. sales in June 2018. BMW Group currently offers seven electrified models in the U.S., including the BMW i3, BMW i8, BMW 330e, BMW 530e, BMW 740e, BMW X5 xDrive 40e and MINI Countryman plug-in-hybrid electric vehicle.

BMW Group U.S. Reports May 2018 Sales MW Group sales increase 3.4 percent in May 2018. BMW brand sales increase 3.3 percent. MINI brand sales increase 4.0 percent. BMW Group electrified vehicle sales increase 26.9 percent, accounting for 6.6 percent of total U.S. sales in May 2018. Woodcliff Lake, NJ – June 1, 2018… Sales of BMW Group vehicles in the U.S. increased 3.4 percent in May 2018 for a total of 30,888 vehicles (BMW and MINI brands combined), compared with 29,881 vehicles sold in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date BMW Group sales in the U.S. are up 3.3 percent from the first five months of 2017. “Once again BMW has defied the odds with seven straight months of sales gains and the outlook for the second half of the year is positive,” said Bernhard Kuhnt, President and CEO, BMW of North America. “Our X model Sports Activity Vehicles continue their steady increase as availability improves and the BMW 5 Series is proof there’s strong demand for a great sedan, especially the electrified version which is now approaching 20% of 5 Series sales.” BMW Brand Sales Sales of BMW brand vehicles increased 3.3 percent in May 2018 for a total of 26,662 compared to 25,818 vehicles sold in May 2017. Year-to-date, the BMW brand is up 3.2 percent on sales of 123,979 vehicles compared to 120,124 sold in the first five months of 2017. BMW’s lineup of Sports Activity Vehicles accounted for 52 percent of BMW brand sales in May 2018, with particularly strong performances from the BMW X3 and BMW X5, as well as the first-ever BMW X2. MINI Brand Sales For May, MINI USA reported 4,226 vehicles sold, an increase of 4.0 percent from the 4,063 sold in the same month a year ago. The MINI Countryman continued its strong performance this month, rising 29.4 percent compared to May 2017 and contributing to a 61.9 percent year-to-date increase over Countryman sales in the first five months of 2017. BMW Group Electrified Vehicle Sales BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) sales of electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles totaled 2,046 in May 2018, an increase of 26.9 percent from the 1,612 sold in the same month a year ago. BMW Group electrified vehicles accounted for 6.6 percent of U.S. sales in May 2018. BMW Group currently offers seven electrified models in the U.S., including the BMW i3, BMW i8, BMW 330e, BMW 530e, BMW 740e, BMW X5 xDrive 40e and MINI Countryman plug-in-hybrid electric vehicle.

BMW Group U.S. Reports March 2018 Sales BMW Group sales decrease 0.4 percent in March 2018. BMW brand sales increase 1 percent. MINI brand sales decrease 9.1 percent. BMW Group electrified vehicle sales increase 71.1, accounting for 7.4 percent of total U.S. sales in March 2018. Woodcliff Lake, NJ – April 3, 2018… Sales of BMW brand vehicles increased 1 percent in March 2018 for a total of 31,311­­ compared to 31,015 vehicles sold in March 2017. Through Q1 2018, BMW brand sales are up 3.0 percent year-over-year. BMW brand sales in March 2018 were once again led by BMW’s lineup of Sports Activity Vehicles and the BMW 5 Series, which has shown strong growth for nine straight months. “It’s Spring and thoughts naturally turn to new cars with March giving us another uptick in sales – five months in a row – as the 5 Series continues to defy conventional thinking and proves there’s still a place in the market for a great sedan,” said Bernhard Kuhnt, President and CEO, BMW of North America. “At the same time, our X model lineup is expanding with the X2 now fully in the marketplace and Sports Activity Vehicles nearing 50% of our sales.” MINI Brand Sales For March, MINI USA reported 4,531 vehicles sold, a decrease of 9.1 percent from the 4,987 sold in the same month a year ago. BMW Group Sales In total, BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported March 2018 sales of 35,842 vehicles, a decrease of 0.4 percent from the 36,002 vehicles sold in the same month a year ago. BMW Group Electrified Vehicle Sales BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) sales of electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles totaled 2,662 in March 2018, an increase of 71.1 percent from the 1,556 sold in the same month a year ago. BMW Group electrified vehicles accounted for 7.4 percent of U.S. sales in March 2018.

About three to four years ago, Mini set out an ambitious goal of selling an annual volume of 100,000 vehicles in the U.S. But this goal would never come to fruition. Sales of Mini models have been in decline for the past few years partly due to buyers going towards light trucks and crossovers. BMW executives have since stepped back from this goal is considering whether or not to make Mini vehicles electric-only in the U.S. For dealers, the mixed messages has them concerned. Jason Willis, member of the Mini National Dealer Council expressed these concerns in a interview with Automotive News. "I don't think the dealers have a very clear vision of where the car line is going long term. There is a lot of pride on being a small-car performance company, so my guess is we will continue to be a small-car company. But as far as electric and how we fit in, we're still waiting to hear that plan," said Willis. "Our biggest goal is to get a clear vision from Mini and the BMW Group of where the car line is going — whether we're going to continue to be a small-car brand. Are we going to go fully electric? What is the game plan over the next three, four, five years?" Next month, Mini dealers will meet with BMW's leaders in Las Vegas. Willis hopes they get some answers, especially with electric vehicles. "We're in the wait-and-see pattern on what electric vehicle demand really is going to be. Here in the Midwest, there's a lot of talk about electric cars but very little demand. Dealers just want to have a plan for the future. To be an electric-only car company, I'm not sure that is the goal that the dealers have. But to have some electric vehicle options to differentiate us in the market is a want," Willis also hopes BMW can give Mini more support in marketing in their products, along possibly offering a mainstream product. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required) View full article

BMW Group U.S. Reports February 2018 Sales. BMW Group sales increase 7.5 percent in February 2018. BMW brand sales increase 4.2 percent. MINI brand sales increase 42.3 percent. BMW Group electrified vehicle sales total 1,963 in February 2018, accounting for 7.4 percent of vehicles sold in the U.S. Woodcliff Lake, NJ – March 1, 2018… Sales of BMW brand vehicles increased 4.2 percent in February 2018 for a total of 23,508­­ compared to 22,558 vehicles sold in February 2017. Collectively, the BMW X models had a very strong month of sales, led specifically by the BMW X1 (2,857 vehicles), BMW X3 (3,281 vehicles) and BMW X5 (4,006 vehicles). Sales of the BMW 5 Series (3,185 vehicles) were also up 16.6 precent, marking an eighth straight month of growth. “There’s nothing like solid February numbers to warm a winter day, and the BMW momentum of the last several months continues and will increase as highly anticipated new models come to market,” said Bernhard Kuhnt, President and CEO, BMW of North America. “This month we welcome the all-new BMW X2 to our model line-up; the new X4 is also in the pipeline; and availability of the X3 continues increasing. Couple all that with the positive numbers from MINI, and BMW Group has a lot to look forward to this year.” MINI Brand Sales For February, MINI USA reported 3,065 vehicles sold, an increase of 42.3 percent from the 2,154 sold in the same month a year ago. BMW Group Sales In total, the BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported February sales of ­­­­26,573 vehicles, an increase of 7.5 percent from the 24,712 vehicles sold in the same month a year ago. BMW Group Electrified Vehicle Sales Electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles sales totaled 1,936 vehicles, accounting for 7.4 percent of BMW Group vehicles sales in February.

BMW has announced today that it has signed a “letter of intent” with Chinese automaker Great Wall Motor on producing electric-versions of the Mini in China. The German automaker in a statement said the next steps will be agreeing on the details of a possible joint venture and clarifying various aspects such as a location for production. The two have been in talks for almost the past two years - Great Wall confirmed the talks back in October. It is expected that the electric Mini will be similar to the concept that debuted last year at the Frankfurt Motor show. BMW also confirmed that production of the electric Mini will also take place at their Oxford, Great Britain plant starting next year. Source: Reuters via Automotive News (Subscmiription Required), BMW Press Release is on Page 2 BMW Group plans joint venture for MINI electric vehicles in China MINI brand set for growth with local partner No plans for additional sales organisation in China Expansion of BMW Brilliance Automotive joint venture Munich. The BMW Group is in advanced discussions to ramp up the global success of its MINI brand through a new joint venture in China. A key element of the brand’s continued strategic development will be local production of future battery-electric MINI vehicles in the world’s largest market for electromobility. To this end, the BMW Group has signed a “letter of intent” with the Chinese manufacturer Great Wall Motor. In addition to production of the first battery electric MINI at the main plant in Oxford starting in 2019, this signals a further clear commitment to the electrified future of the MINI brand. Next steps will be to agree on the details of a possible joint venture and cooperation agreement and clarify aspects such as the choice of production location and concrete investments. The BMW Group has no plans to set up an additional sales organisation in China. The company is firmly committed to continuing the successful cooperation with the established sales structure. Independently of its strategic considerations towards the MINI brand, the BMW Group will further expand its highly successful BMW Brilliance Automotive (BBA) joint venture in China with its partner, Brilliance. In addition to its two automobile production locations, BBA already runs an engine plant, which includes a battery factory for electrified BMW brand vehicles produced locally in Shenyang. This is the first battery factory operated by a premium automobile manufacturer in China. In recent years, BBA has become a cornerstone of the BMW brand’s success in its largest market and serves as a model for the continued development of MINI in China. Around 560,000 BMW brand vehicles were delivered to customers in China in 2017 – more than in the next two largest markets, the US and Germany, combined. In 2017, China was MINI’s fourth-largest market, with around 35,000 units delivered. This underlines the brand’s additional global potential. The successful strategy for expansion of the BMW Group’s global production network obeys a clear rule: Production follows the market. However, expansion of the BMW brand in its largest markets, such as China, has not led to a decrease in production at the company’s German plants. On the contrary, between 2007 and 2017, production in Germany increased by close to a quarter to around 1.15 million vehicles per year. At the same time, almost half of all BMW production now takes place at plants outside Germany. A similar growth strategy could accelerate development of the MINI brand significantly without questioning the BMW Group’s commitment in the UK. The company has made significant investments over the years to step up its involvement in the country. View full article

BMW Group U.S. Reports January 2018 Sales BMW Group sales increase 3.5 percent in January 2018. BMW brand sales increase 5 percent. MINI brand sales decrease 5.6 percent. Sales of BMW Group electrified vehicles total 1,145 in January 2018, accounting for 5.2 percent of vehicles sold in the U.S. Woodcliff Lake, NJ – February 1, 2018… Sales of BMW brand vehicles increased 5 percent in January 2018 for a total of 19,016 compared to 18,109 vehicles sold in January 2017. Most notably, the new BMW 5 Series showed strong growth for the seventh straight month, with 2,456 vehicles sold – nearly 10 percent of which were the BMW 530e iPerformance plug-in hybrid electric variant. The all-new BMW X3, which came to market in November, also performed well with 2,954 vehicles sold. “Our newest products continue to be very well received by consumers, which has helped us carry the momentum that we created in 2017 into 2018 and given us a great start to the New Year,” said Bernhard Kuhnt, President and CEO, BMW of North America. “We have many new products to launch in 2018, starting with the first-ever, and much anticipated BMW X2 which will begin appearing on showroom floors later this month for its sales debut in early March.” MINI Brand Sales For January, MINI USA reported 2,937 vehicles sold, a decrease of 5.6 percent from the 3,110 sold in the same month a year ago. BMW Group Sales In total, the BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported January sales of 21,953 vehicles, an increase of 3.5 percent from the 21,219 vehicles sold in the same month a year ago. BMW Group Electrified Vehicle Sales Electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles sales totaled 1,145 vehicles, accounting for 5.2 percent of BMW Group vehicles sales in January. BMW currently offers six electrified models in the U.S., including the BMW i3 and BMW i8, as well as the BMW i Performance models: BMW 330e, BMW 530e, BMW 740e and the BMW X5 xDrive 40e. MINI offers the MINI Countryman plug-in-hybrid electric vehicle.

BMW appears to be making a number of changes to future plans once again. According to a report from Automobile Magazine, a number of BMW i models have been canned. They include a proposed i9 flagship sedan (replaced by a slightly smaller i7 sedan), the i5 which was supposed to arrive in 2023, and an even larger version of the i3. Other plans that reportedly been canceled include a supercar plan with McLaren and new vehicle architecture with Diamler. The situation is somewhat worse at Mini. Automobile said plans for a joint development of a new small car platform with Toyota have fallen through. It was expected this platform would have underpin the next-generation Mini Cooper. According to some sources, BMW is working a deal with Chinese automaker Great Wall about developing a new platform for Mini. Other details from Automobile's report, The follow-up to the i3 will be renamed the iX1 Plans are being drawn up for an electric version of the next Rolls-Royce Ghost There is talk about a new model that "defines the BMW brand in the 21st century." It could be a reskin of the i8 with bigger batteries and a turbo-four; keeping the i8's central structure and adding new front and rear ends, along with a four-cylinder; or designing a new model that will feature the choice of three different electric motors and either 3.0L inline-six or a V8 engine with 600 horsepower Source: Automobile Magazine View full article

Mini will be using next week's Detroit Auto Show to debut refreshed versions of the Cooper Hardtop and Convertible models. At first glance, the changes don't seem apparent as the new models look like the current ones. But you'll need to get a bit closer to see the changes. Up front, the 2019 Coopers feature a new headlight design and updated logo. Around back, Mini has fitted a new set of LED taillights with a Union Jack pattern. The interior sees some minor changes with Bluetooth and a 6.5-inch infotainment screen becoming standard. An 8.8-inch system with navigation is available as an option. The U.S. will miss out on one change that Mini is making for the Cooper in other markets - a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. No mention of when the 2019 Cooper Hardtop and Convertible will go on sale. Source: Mini Press Release is on Page 2 Fresh update for the original: the new MINI Hardtop 2 Door, the new MINI Hardtop 4 Door, the new MINI Convertible. Detroit, MI, January 9, 2018. The British premium automobile manufacturer strengthens the progressive character and appeal of its models in the small car segment with a stylishly refined visual appearance and extensive technological advancements. The update for the MINI Hardtop 2 Door, the MINI Hardtop 4 Door and the MINI Convertible includes fresh design accentuations, innovations in the field of drive technology, additional customisation options and an expansion of the digital services available as part of MINI Connected. The upgrading of the original product substance in the premium segment of small cars highlights the mature yet distinctive charisma of MINI, which in its current model generation is now available for the first time with three body types for hallmark driving fun in urban environments. This is due to such elements as an extended range of standard features, newly designed headlights and rear lights, additional body finishes and cutting-edge connectivity technology for convenience and infotainment. MINI Hardtop 2 Door, MINI Hardtop 4 Door, MINI Convertible: overview of new features. LED rear lights in Union Jack design. New MINI logo, new body finishes, Piano Black exterior. New light alloy wheels. Extended range of leather trim, interior surfaces and Color Lines. Unique individualisation with MINI Yours Customised. Multifunction steering wheel and radio with 6.5-inch colour screen, USB and Bluetooth interface as standard. Optional radio and navigation systems with touchscreen monitor. Telephony with wireless charging. MINI Connected and MINI Connected XL with new functions. MINI logo projection from the exterior mirror on the driver's side. Bright and dazzle-free: LED headlights. A modified design for the characteristic circular headlights make the hallmark front view of the new MINI Hardtop 2 Door, the new MINI Hardtop 4 Door and the new MINI Convertible even more powerfully expressive. In the standard halogen headlights, a striking accentuation is added by means of a black panel. In the LED headlights available as optional equipment items, the high-quality technology is underscored by means of an entirely newly design of the light sources. The latest generation of the LED modules for low and high beam offers increased brightness. The LED daytime driving light and the turn indicator light are generated by a ring which surrounds the entire contour of the headlight, Very British: rear lights in Union Jack design. The rear lights also feature a new design in conjunction with the optional LED headlights. As a clear reference to the brand's British DNA, the upright light units at the rear of the new MINI Hardtop 2 Door, the new MINI Hardtop 4 Door and the new MINI Convertible now appear in a Union Jack design. The striking flag motif is recreated in the structure of the light functions. The turn indicators are horizontally arranged and the brake lights are vertically aligned, with the tail light additionally representing the diagonal lines of the British flag. In order to ensure a particularly harmonious lighting effect, all light sources forming the Union Jack graphic use LED technology. New MINI logo: reduced to the essentials. The new MINI logo is clear and authentic in style, appearing on the bonnet, tailgate, steering wheel, central instrument display, remote control, and optional driver’s side puddle lighting all models. It is a re-interpretation of the existing logo and now features a two-dimensional "flat design". As such, the MINI logo reflects the new brand identity with its focus on the essentials – namely key values such as driving fun, distinctive design, premium quality and emotional appeal. Three new exterior paint colors, premiere for Piano Black Exterior. The extensive range of exterior paint colors available for the new MINI Hardtop 2 Door, the new MINI Hardtop 4 Door and the new MINI Convertible now adds three variants: Emerald Grey metallic, Starlight Blue metallic, and Solaris Orange metallic. What is more, the list of optional equipment items features an additional means of customizing the exterior design. With the option Piano Black Exterior, the surrounds of the headlights, rear lights and radiator grille are finished in high-gloss black instead of chrome. The selection of optionally available light alloy wheels has been expanded, too. The 17-inch light alloy wheels in the design styles Roulette Spoke 2-tone and Propeller Spoke 2-tone are now available for all body variants of the new MINI. The likewise 17-inch light alloy wheels in Rail Spoke 2-tone design have also been newly added to the program. New leather trims, interior surfaces and Color Lines. A broad selection of seat surfaces, interior surfaces and Color Lines add a touch of individual style to the interior of the new MINI Hardtop 2 Door, the new MINI Hardtop 4 Door and the new MINI Convertible. New features for the MINI Hardtop 2 Door and the MINI Hardtop 4 Door include supple Malt Brown Chesterfield Leather upholstery. In addition, the new option MINI Yours Interior Style Piano Black with illumination includes a backlit decorative panel on the passenger side of the dashboard, likewise finished in Piano Black as well as bearing a stylised Union Jack motif. The color of the backlighting matches the ambient lighting selected by the driver. This option also adds high-gloss Piano Black surfaces in the area of the doors and center console., Maximum individualization: MINI Yours Customised. The MINI Yours Customised program now raises hallmark brand individualization to a whole new level. It includes retrofit products that can be designed by customers themselves, which are then produced precisely according to these individual specifications. The MINI Yours Customised range will include side scuttles, decorative strips for the interior on the passenger side, LED door sill finishers and LED door projectors. MINI Yours Customised products can be designed and previewed through a specially created Online Customiser. Here customers can choose between various colors, patterns, surface structures and icons, as well as contributing their own texts and adding a touch of personal style to the design. This offering enables MINI fans to turn their vehicle into a unique specimen that bears the stamp of their own personality. The individualized products are manufactured using innovative production techniques such as various 3D printing methods and laser engraving. New infotainment systems and features A new 6.5” display is included as standard, and features an updated and optimized user interface, Bluetooth mobile phone integration, and support for Bluetooth audio streaming. In addition, customers can specify a new 8.8” touchscreen navigation system with new user interface and greatly expanded features. New options: telephony with wireless charging, MINI logo projection. The innovative optional equipment for the new MINI Hardtop 2 Door, the new MINI Hardtop 4 Door and the new MINI Convertible includes a wireless charging option. A storage compartment integrated in the centre armrest enables wireless charging of mobile phones which offer this capability. This option also adds a second USB port in the front section of the center console. For the first time, the MINI Hardtop 2 Door and MINI Hardtop 4 Door are available with a MINI logo projection feature. When the vehicle is opened and closed, the new MINI logo is projected onto the ground in front of the driver’s side door from a light source in the exterior mirror and can be seen there for 20 seconds, or permanently if the door is left open. MINI Connected: a range of digital services that is unique within the segment. With the new MINI Connected functions, MINI offers a diverse range of digital services at premium level that is unique in the small car segment. New features include Advanced Real Time Traffic Information with 4G LTE connectivity, support for Apple CarPlay, Connected Services, and intelligent emergency call. The personal mobility assistant feature of the MINI Connected smartphone app now enables drivers of the new MINI Hardtop 2 Door, the new MINI Hardtop 4 Door and the new MINI Convertible to integrate their vehicle and mobility planning seamlessly into their day-to-day digital routine. For example, MINI Connected can draw on calendar entries and contact data entered in a smartphone to plan a route and determine the ideal time to set off based on real time traffic data. The Send-to-Car function enables planned routes to be sent to the MINI navigation system, while Remote Services allow the driver not just to display vehicle location, fuel level and other vehicle status details on their digital end device, but also activate the headlight flasher, horn, ventilation and door lock/unlock function. Intelligent networking of the MINI is via a SIM card integrated in the vehicle: this now complies with the mobile communications standard 4G. It also enables the use of MINI Teleservices and the Intelligent Emergency Call with automatic detection of vehicle location and accident severity. Services now available in the new MINI Hardtop 2 Door, the new MINI Hardtop 4 Door and the new MINI Convertible for the first time also include MINI Find Mate. This consists of so-called tags with a wireless tracking function that can be attached to frequently used objects and travel items such as bags, cases, key rings and rucksacks. Their position can not only be displayed on the on-board computer but also in the MINI Connected App on a smartphone. In this way, MINI Find Mate helps prevent personal items getting lost or left behind. View full article

BMW Group U.S. Reports December 2017 and Year-End Sales. BMW Group sales increase 3.7 percent in December. BMW brand sales increase 4.3 percent. MINI brand sales decrease 1.0 percent. BMW Group Electrified Vehicles Sales total 21,208 in 2017. Woodcliff Lake, NJ – January 3, 2018… Sales of BMW brand vehicles increased 4.3 percent in December for a total of 34,253 compared to 32,835 vehicles sold in December 2016. For the full year, BMW brand sales were down 2.4 percent on total sales of 305,685 vehicles compared to 313,174 sold in 2016. Notable individual vehicles in December included the BMW 5 Series, the BMW X1 and the BMW X5. Sales of the BMW 5 Series increased 124 percent to 4,743 vehicles. The BMW X5 was up nearly 10 percent to 6,847 vehicles while the BMW X1 was up 6.4 percent to 4,454 vehicles. “Momentum has been building throughout 2017 and the December results have put us in a strong position for the New Year,” said Bernhard Kuhnt, President and CEO, BMW of North America. “Our BMW models are attracting entirely new customers to our dealerships, especially the BMW 5 Series, X models, and our electrified vehicles. There’s much more to come in 2018 with the next new model – the BMW X2 - premiering at the Detroit Auto Show in less than two weeks.” MINI Brand Sales For December, MINI USA reported 4,611 vehicles sold, a decrease of 1.0 percent from the 4,658 sold in the same month a year ago. In 2017 MINI USA reported a total of 47,105 vehicles sold, a decrease of 9.5 percent from the 52,030 vehicles sold in 2016. BMW Group Sales In total, the BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported December sales of 38,864 vehicles, an increase of 3.7 percent from the 37,493 vehicles sold in the same month a year ago. In 2017 BMW Group reported sales of 352,790, a 3.4 percent decrease compared to 365,204 vehicles sold in 2016. BMW Group Electrified Vehicle Sales Sales of BMW Group electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles increased 31.2 percent in 2017 to 21,208, accounting for 6.0 percent of total BMW Group sales in the U.S. BMW offers six electrified vehicle models in the U.S., including the BMW i3 and BMW i8, as well as the BMW i Performance models: BMW 330e, BMW 530e, BMW 740e and the BMW X5 xDrive 40e. MINI offers the MINI Countryman plug-in-hybrid electric vehicle.

BMW Group U.S. Reports November 2017 Sales BMW Group sales total 32,087 vehicles in November BMW brand sales increase 7.1 percent MINI brand sales decrease 10.4 percent BMW Group Electrified Vehicles Sales total 18,416 YTD Woodcliff Lake, NJ – December 1, 2017… Sales of BMW brand vehicles increased 7.1 percent in November for a total of 28,049 compared to 26,189 vehicles sold in November 2016. Year-to-date, the BMW brand is down 3.2 percent in the U.S. on sales of 271,432 vehicles compared to 280,339 sold in the first 11 months of 2016. Notable vehicle sales in November included the BMW 5 Series, which maintained its momentum and showed strong gains for the fifth straight month, selling 4,002 vehicles. November was also a particularly good month for Sports Activity Vehicles, specifically the BMW X5 and the all-new BMW X3. Sales of the BMW X5 increased 17.5 percent to 5,515 vehicles, while the BMW X3 sold 3,087 vehicles in its first half-month of availability. “November ended in a strong way for us at BMW. This week at the LA Auto Show, we gave everyone a view of what’s to come and now the November sales result has given us the perfect lead-in to what is always the most important sales month of the year, December,” said Bernhard Kuhnt, President and CEO, BMW of North America. “The indicators for the coming months give us optimism especially as the popular new X3 is now launching across the U.S., the new 5 Series continues building momentum, and BMW Group electrified vehicles accounted for nearly 6% of sales in November.” MINI Brand Sales For November, MINI USA reported 4,038 vehicles sold, a decrease of 10.4 percent from the 4,507 sold in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date, MINI USA reported a total of 42,494 vehicles sold, a decrease of 10.3 percent from 47,372 vehicles sold in the first 11 months of 2016. BMW Group Sales In total, the BMW Group in the U.S. (BMW and MINI combined) reported November sales of 32,087 vehicles, an increase of 4.5 percent from the 30,696 vehicles sold in the same month a year ago. Year-to-date, BMW Group sales are down 4.2 percent on sales of 313,926 vehicles in the first 11 months of 2017 compared to 327,711 in the same period in 2016. BMW Group Electrified Vehicle Sales Sales of BMW Group electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles increased 27.8 percent to 18,416 through November 2017 (YTD), accounting for 5.9 percent of total BMW Group sales in the U.S. BMW offers six electrified vehicle models in the U.S., including the BMW i3 and BMW i8, as well as the BMW i Performance models: BMW 330e, BMW 530e, BMW 740e and the BMW X5 xDrive 40e. MINI offers the MINI Countryman plug-in-hybrid electric vehicle, which launched in June 2017.