MINI Clubvan AXED in the US after just 50 sales

The MINI Clubvan – the commercial version of the MINI Clubman – has been axed in the US after selling just 50 since its launch at the start of 2013.

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The MINi Clubvan – a van version of the Clubman – arrived in 2012 as a concept and instantly evoked fond memories of the original Mini van that used to roam UK roads with the black and yellow livery of the AA.

By the time the new MINi Clubvan arrived as a production model last summer – and debuted at the 2012 Goodwood FoS – it had changed little from the concept, but looked set for success as a funky little local delivery vehicle.

And it does seem as though the Clubvan is selling quite well, with florists and posh food delivery firms jumping on the Clubvan as a great way to move their product to customers, and look just that bit different in the process.

But it’s a different story in the US, where MINI were hoping the Clubvan would emulate sales of the normal MINI range and appeal to trendy business owners in cities across the States. But it seems the plan has fallen flat.

Green Car Reports say that, since the Clubvan launched in the US at the start of 2013, MINI has managed to shift just 50 and have quietly withdrawn the Clubvan from the US as a result.

It seems that unlike most countries, where small, economical commercial vehicles get tax breaks, the MINi Clubvan actually gets a 25% tax penalty – called the ‘Chicken Tax’ and imposed more than 50 years ago to stop European makers taking sales from domestic commercials – in the US, which has led to very low demand for t he Clubvan.

It seems the Clubvan was a step too far for the US, and has now been withdrawn.

You can’t win them all.