So Cal Resident Receives 500,000th Mini Cooper

Dan Cowdery of Westlake Village, California, got the red carpet treatment last week as he took part in a Mini milestone: Cowdery took delivery of his new Mini - the 500,000th Mini to roll off the assembly line in Oxford, England since production began in July 2001.

Cowdery, who purchased his customized dark silver Mini Cooper S from Long Beach Mini, was flown to England by Mini USA for a special ceremony last month marking the production milestone. While there, he toured the factory, met several British dignitaries and plant executives, and took his new wheels for a drive on the 'wrong' side of the street. On Thursday, Cowdery drove out of the dealership on a red carpet lined with red Minis.

An auto enthusiast from a young age, Cowdery does "a ton of driving" as well as road racing. He calls his customized Mini -- outfitted with a body kit, brake upgrades, and John Cooper Works kit -- a 'bad to the bone street car' that he can take on the track, too. "The first time I drove a Mini, I was pretty impressed, and, as it is made by the BMW Group, the decision to buy one was practically made for me," Cowdery said.

"Mini Momentum"
Strong demand for Mini automobiles worldwide pushed up initial production forecasts. The company originally predicted that the Oxford plant would build 100,000 Minis a year, but the half-million mark was actually reached two years early. Last year, more than 174,000 Minis were sold worldwide. 111,142 Minis were sold in the first seven months of 2004, an increase of 4 percent. Seventy-five percent of the half million vehicles produced were exported out of the United Kingdom.

After the United Kingdom, the U.S. is the second-largest market for the Mini brand. More than 85,000 Minis have been sold in the U.S. since March 2002. More than 36,000 Minis were sold in 2003, and year-to-date in 2004, more than 25,000 Minis have made their way to U.S. customers.

California - Land of MiniCalifornia is a major market for Mini in its own right; more Minis are sold in the state than in many European countries. On average, 18 percent of all Minis sold in the United States are sold in California.