MINI pulls the Clubvan out of America
Posted 18th July, 2013 in MINI | Leave a comment
MINI is withdrawing its Clubvan model from dealerships in America following appalling sales figures of just fifty units.
The guys from Green Car Reports gave MINI USA’s Communications Manager Nathalie Bauters a call asking about the vehicle’s disappearance, and she cited: “relatively low demand and the effect of an excessive 25-percent tax on vehicles for commercial use (known as ‘the Chicken Tax’).”
That sky-high tax rate, which was introduced over half a century ago, exists purely to deter customers from buying European commercial trucks – rather than keeping it ‘murican.
In other parts of the world the Clubvan has been pretty successful, thanks largely to the fact that such vehicles bring tax advantages with them. For example, in the UK, VAT-registered buyers can claim the VAT back. And with a price tag that undercuts the Clubman by almost £3,000 it’s easy to why it’s such a popular option.
[Source: Green Car Reports]
