Mini Dealers Stage Special Events

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SEE ALSO: Mini Mototober Events

Washington DC October 23, 2007; The AIADA newsletter reported that the new-generation Mini Cooper has been on sale since February, and sales have set records for five straight months. But that doesn't stop Mini USA from holding special events to engage current owners and attract new ones.

The latest: declaring October "Motor-Tober." According to Automotive News, about 62 percent of Mini's 82 dealers are staging events — including Halloween costume parties and racetrack driving — throughout the month to get prospects into cars for test drives.

Mini provides marketing and support materials, but individual dealers decide how to participate. For instance, In Massachusetts, Mini of Peabody is having an autocross with driving events and a festival. It has more than 300 registered participants.

Steve Saward, Mini USA sales manager, says the brand hopes to set a record this year. Sales have topped 4,000 cars each month since May. "Sales are quite good, but we want to keep the momentum going into the fall when it starts to slow down a bit," Saward says.