MINI demand forges ahead…

Demand remains strong for the MINI. In May, 14,500 MINI were delivered to customers (prev.yr.: 11,200/+29.4%). By the end of May, 74,640 MINI had left the dealerships (+48.7%). In a comparison between countries, the “MINI home market” of Great Britain was still ahead of the rest in the months January to May 2003 with 17,910 units sold, followed by the USA (14,610), Germany (11,390), Italy (9,240) and Japan (4,960).

MINI Cooper S Wins International Engine of the Year Award…

The BMW Group has won three out of a total of 12 awards at the renowned International Engine of the Year event in Stuttgart, Germany. By winning engine Oscars number 16, 17 and 18, the BMW Group has once again collected the industry’s most significant award for automobile engines. The 3.2-liter six-cylinder engine of the BMW M3, the 2.5-liter six-cylinder engine of the BMW Z4 roadster, and the 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine of the MINI Cooper S have all been awarded the “Engine Of The Year 2003″ title in their respective displacement classes.

Having started in 1999, the International Engine of the Year Award program is comprised of established motor journalists from 18 different countries. Together, they choose the most outstanding engines of the year during the Testing & Engine Expo in Stuttgart. As history shows, they have voted for BMW’s four-, six-, eight- and twelve-cylinder engines the most frequently. It is largely thanks to the 3.2-liter six-cylinder engine of the BMW M3, which has been awarded yet another prize this year, establishing BMW as the most successful competitor by a wide margin. Having won the coveted “International Engine of the Year” award in 2001, this year’s award in its displacement class of 3.0 to 4.0 liters makes the M3’s engine the winner for the third time running. In addition, the M3’s engine won the class with nearly twice as many scores (202 points) as the Porsche 911 GT3, which scored 109 points.

The MINI team can are rejoicing, since the engine of the MINI Cooper S received the third award for The BMW Group. The supercharged and intercooled 1.6-liter engine in the MINI Cooper S has won the 1.4- to 1.8-liter category with flying colors. This 163-horsepower, SOHC 16-valve engine propels the appealing subcompact from 0 to 60 in a mere 6.9 seconds, and continues to propel the Cooper S to a top speed of 135 mph. In spite of this fantastic forward pull, the MINI’s fuel consumption averages no less than 24 mpg city and 33 mpg highway according to the EPA’s testing. Even more impressive is the broad torque curve of this compact engine, which offers 80 percent of its 155 lb.-ft. of torque between 2,000 and 6,500 rpm. According to the judges, the MINI Cooper S owes its go-kart-like handling to a combination of torque, engine output and its curb weight of only about 2,678 pounds, that is optimally distributed over the front and rear axles.

MINI Tops Segment in 2003 Strategic Vision Study….

MINI ‘Best Of The Best’ In Study Ranking Ownership Experience. Results Show The Little Car Is Proving A Big Hit With Owners.

MINI has scored extremely well in Strategic Vision’s 2003 Vehicle Experience Study as the company releases the results of its 2003 Total Quality Index(tm) (TQI). TQI measures the complete ownership experience, including the emotions generated-the same criteria buyers use to measure quality.

MINI topped its segment, Specialty Cars under $25,000 scoring a TQI of 912. Runners up were the Acura RSX (893) and the Volkswagen New Beetle (890). MINI scored above sector average in all areas and most notably in the areas of Style, Handling, Craftsmanship, Individuality, Fun, Performance and Safety.

MINI also scored highly on major topics:

* On the question of Overall Opinion Of Vehicle, 97% of MINI owners were either Very or Completely Satisfied with their MINI.

* On Initial Quality Rating. 97.4% rated their car Excellent or Very Good. More MINI owners (91.4%) would Definitely Recommend to a Friend/Relative than any other car in the sector.

* Regarding a Definite Emotional Attachment To Vehicle, MINI topped the sector with 69.73%.

* MINI also came on top in the category Overall New Vehicle Experience with 74.97% of owners relating that they were Quite Delighted with their purchase.

Jack Pitney, general manager of MINI USA said: “We are delighted to see that MINI has scored so well in this survey. We know that MINI owners are one of the most enthusiasticowner groups around and it’s great to see their enthusiasm for MINI shine through.”