Right...I think. The deposit is refundable...but if it's really only a waiting list, what does that mean? Does it mean that when these future variants, such as the Clubman, become "real" and are being produced that those who are on the "waiting list" will have first "dibs" on the initial allocation marked for that particular dealer?
Perhaps I am being too interested in the inner workings of dealerships and MINI, but I'm trying to understand how it all works. I hadn't considered the fact that the various dealerships all get certain initial allocations of the first production... Hmmm...
So a waiting list is created and then as production actually begins...things become more "real"... If memory serves me, even once a MINI is spec'd and ordered and in production, technically speaking deposits are still refundable.... I guess they are betting that the majority who do order will take possession. MINIs are hard to resist.
P.S. Just noticed that you wrote that the deposit is only refundable until the order is actually "placed" - and I'm assuming that you mean is placed and the MINI is going into production right away.