While the majority of automakers are reporting declining sales, the Mini brand has had increased year-over-year sales every month this year:

July +14.9%
June +40.5%
May +47.2%
April +28.6%
March +26.4%
February +38.5%

It’s small wonder why Mini’s are effectively sold out.

Earlier this year, I wrote “Don’t Buy a Mini!” because J.D. Power’s Initial Quality Survey awarded Mini with 2nd last place. However, in a dramatic turnaround, consumers have ignored the poor build quality of the Mini’s and bought them by the boatload. The rest of the 2008 allocations in the USA are sold out. I’m not sure if that’s the same in Canada, but I wouldn’t be surprised at all.

Why is it? Well the Mini has great gas mileage, and gasoline prices have skyrocketed. Correlation? Yes. Causation? Maybe.