Large Texas Dealer Group Shutters MINI - One Off Or The Beginning Of A Bad Trend?

Sewell Mini of Plano will be closing its doors after Saturday, according to a Sewell spokesperson.

The dealership said it is working with Mini USA to transfer ownership of the franchise to another dealer. The Plano dealership is one of three Mini locations in North Texas.

Of the 219,263 vehicles sold in Dallas and Collin counties in 2018, only 648 were Mini Coopers, according to the Freeman Auto Report.

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Car4life1 - 4/26/2019 3:19:36 PM

+2 Boost

Unfortunately the answer for Mini, like others, is releasing a crossover or SUV, otherwise prepare to dim more lights. The countryman doesn’t cut it

skytop - 4/26/2019 3:26:44 PM

0 Boost

Was it a mini bankruptcy?

CarCrazedinCali - 4/26/2019 3:33:54 PM

+2 Boost

it's TRUCK COUNTRY, the brand doesn't fit the area

skytop - 4/26/2019 6:53:13 PM

+1 Boost

I used to live in Tucson in Phoenix, AZ which are real 'truck country.' Plenty of hard working, callused hand working folks. Yet, there are BMW, Mercedes, Lexless and even Ferrari and Lamborghini dealers around the desert. Yes, there are 3 Mini dealers as well.

malba2367 - 4/26/2019 6:23:16 PM

+1 Boost

Plano and the surrounding area are affluent suburba of Dallas. It is not the stereotypical "Truck Country" that you portray. Plenty of BMWs, Mercedes, Audi, Lexus etc cruising around the streets of this area. Mini should do just fine there, however their lineup of small cars is not appealing to american customers.

MDarringer - 4/26/2019 6:31:08 PM

-1 Boost

Mini should NEVER have been marketed as a stand-alone brand. it should have ALWAYS been a adjunct to BMW where it would not have needed to attempt a full line of vehicles. That is what BMW needs to do with the Mini franchises i.e. fold them into BMW stores.

The practice of stand-alone dealers works against some brands.

mre30 - 4/26/2019 7:07:18 PM

-1 Boost

What? Mini still exists? I thought Mini was phased out about the same time SAAB was.

BMW should have sold Mini to Ford when it fobbed off Land Rover to them.

At some point, BMW is going to regret owning Rolls Royce as well (they likely already do) but as the proud Germans they are, they will not admit that the whole Rolls-Royce purchase was a colossal mistake also.

The only people who buy Mini's are 'Anglophiles' who cannot afford a Land Rover or Jaguar.

Plus the Mini quality is really abysmal - its down there in the bottom of the toilet with the FCA family of crappy cars.

BMW should sell Mini and Rolls Royce to Tata.

#OneHitWonder

mre30 - 4/26/2019 7:08:53 PM

-1 Boost

There is also the limiting aspects of a brand named "Mini" in a country where people generally do not like things that are small.

MDarringer - 4/26/2019 7:27:11 PM

-1 Boost

If BMW had envisioned their dealers hosting the Land Rover Defender, Range Rover, Mini Cooper, and a Triumph TR6 revival, all would be fine.

BMW didn't know what to do the LR/RR. Ford kept them from death. But Tata is ridiculous with its endless permutations of LR/RR products.

A Triumph TR6 for $30K base could be build off a BMW Z4 and could operate in the $30-50K range to catch sales that the Z4 loses for being--usually--above $70K.