Mini on a roll with best UK sales figures (From thisisoxfordshire)
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Mini on a roll with best UK sales figures
9:30am Tuesday 8th January 2013 in News
THE Cowley-built Mini has had its best sales in the UK since its launch 11 years ago.
Statistics from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show 51,324 cars were sold during the course of 2012, compared to 50,138 in 2011, a rise of 2.37 per cent.
Overall, the Mini claimed a 2.51 per cent share of the UK market in 2012, making it the most successful year for the car since its launch in July 2001.
Tim Abbott, managing director of Mini parent firm BMW Group UK, said: “Mini achieved record UK sales thanks to strong performances from all models including the Coupé and Roadster.”
December was a particularly strong month with 4,499 cars leaving forecourts, compared to 4,278 during the previous year, which was enough to make the car the seventh best selling vehicle in the UK, although the Mini did not feature in the Top 10 best sellers of the year.
BMW as a whole also achieved its best-ever UK sales with 127,530 sales, an increase of 9.33 per cent.
Mr Abbott added: “These results are testament to the strong partnership we have with our UK dealer network with BMW and Mini dealers investing more than £60m in modern, customer-friendly retail facilities during 2012.”
Nationally, new car registrations rose by 5.3 per cent to 2,044,609 units, a four-year high, although some major manufacturers saw sales dip, particularly Renault which nosedived by more than 40 per cent.
SMMT chief executive Paul Everitt said: “Boosted by strong consumer demand, the market grew at its fastest rate for 11 years with innovative, fuel-efficient cars keeping buyers in showrooms.”
