BMW To Invest More On New Mini Crossovers In A Bid To Regain Market Share

Mini plans to add more crossovers and two-door hatches into its range in a bid to lure more customers into the brand.

BMW, which owns Mini, is willing to invest more into its iconic British brand but not without acknowledging the challenges of selling small cars to the US market.

BMW Group sales boss Pieter Nota spoke to AutoNews about MIni’s future, saying that turning around the brand’s business in the US will require new products. Without revealing any specific plans, Nota said that the small crossover segment is going to grow significantly in the near future.

Also Read: MINI Could Go EV-Only, But They Won’t Rush It

The German carmaker knows customers that used to belong to Mini are now ditching small cars in favor of roomy crossovers. BMW wants Mini to play a leading role in USA’s luxury small-car segment despite competitors getting out of it.

“We are optimistic that with the new models that will come‚ including the Mini Electric, but also John Cooper Works, we can see a healthy future for the Mini brand in the U.S.,” Nota said.

BMW’s sales boss sees the competition’s capitulation as a big chance for Mini to consolidate market share. “Unlike some of our competitors, we are not turning our back to the U.S.,” Nota said. “We see that even as an opportunity.”

Electrified powertrains will play a major role for future Mini models but BMW Group execs remain silent about plans to electrify the entire Mini range. Instead, Nota said that ICE engines will keep powering some of the future Minis, including the sportier John Cooper Works models.

“We see certainly a significant role for electric in Mini. But there is also going to be a place for our John Cooper Works because there is serious customer demand there,” he said. “So, we will also have some really exciting combustion engines for the Mini brand.”