The mini is still hot in England, not least because its providing one of the most fuel efficient drives available. It'll be interesting to see how BMW go about integrating hybrid and fuel efficiency technology into their small car over the coming half decade.
Unlike earlier recessions where sales for luxury automobiles remained unaffected, BMW's sales have fallen around 20% as US auto sales hit 16 year lows. In response the company announced revisions to its US strategic plan. This includes the expectation of a 10% sales drop for 2008, reducing incentive and advertising spending, and introducing smaller engines used in Europe to the US market. Overall BMW wants to temper long term sales growth in order to make more money on each car it sells. The company plans to export excess US capacity to emerging markets where demand has been less affected by the global downturn.[1]
