Famous German coachbuilder Karmann, best known for their sleek Beetle based Karmann Ghia and as the innovative creators of the folding hard top as seen on the Mercedes SLK, have filed for insolvency. Karmann also supply BMW with 1 Series and MINI Convertible soft top roof mechanisms.
Sales are apparently rapidly drying up for Karmann as many companies review their spending and with that outsourcing activities. While the MINI Convertible has according to a recent BMW press release got of to an “excellent start”, sales for the MINI and 1 Series Convertibles totalled only 4,400 units in March. It is, however, rival German automakers Audi and Daimler who are the company’s biggest customers.
The news should not affect the production or supply of the MINI Convertible. Indeed the goal of the bankruptcy filing is to protect as many employees’ jobs as possible, and maintain production levels in line with demand.
This news comes as BMW have released global sales figures for March 2009 and the year to date. MINI sold a total of 43,592 vehicles in the first quarter of 2009, down 24.9% on first quarter sales for 2008, which totalled 58,054. In isolation, March 2009 MINI sales were 21,888 cars, a drop of 18.5% compared with 26,841 MINIs sold during March 2008.
Looking at the global picture, sales of the MINI in the US were down 15.9% when compared like for like with March 2008, but this is a better performance than the market as a whole, while in Germany MINI sales are picking up, due in no small part to the introduction of the new MINI Convertible, the MINI One Clubman and lower powered MINI One with 75hp tempting customers to part with their cash.
Tags: bmw, Karmann, mini convertible, mini one, mini one clubman, mini sales
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