WORLDWIDE sales of the Oxford-built Mini car fell by almost seven per cent last year, latest figures have revealed.
German parent company BMW said 216,538 cars were bought by customers around the world compared to 232,425 in 2008, a drop of 6.8 per cent.
But the figures have recovered considerably during the year since the Cowley plant cut its weekend shift in February. That month, year-on-year figures showed a 30.8 per cent drop, compared with the first two months of 2008.
Last month, sales were up 22.2 per cent year on year, with 18,335 cars delivered.
On Monday, the Oxford Mail revealed the Mini was the seventh best selling car in the UK last year, with 39,866 cars sold — just two per cent down on the previous year.
Ian Robertson, BMW board member for sales and marketing, said: “We're beginning the new year with a sense of optimism, even though we're still feeling the effects of the global economic crisis.”
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