MINI to arrive in Manila

MANILA, Philippines - It took some time, but the cat is finally out of the bag. An iconic automobile brand has finally made its way to Philippine shores – impending financial crisis be damned.

MINI, the iconic car brand that speaks volumes of its devoted (almost rabid) followers, is just about ready to make its mark in the country. BMW Group Asia made the official announcement recently, naming British United Automobiles as the new distributor of the MINI in the Philippines. A brand new MINI showroom will open for business in the first quarter of 2010 with a unique car showroom concept.

Announcing the appointment, Managing Director of BMW Group Asia, Johannes Seibert said, “To this day MINI remains unique in all its features, qualities, and characteristics. MINI is much more than just a car; it is an urban icon and the preferred choice for trendsetters. All around the world, numerous celebrities, fashion creators, musicians and other artists have been captivated by the unique style of MINI. Together with British United Automobiles, we are pleased to bring MINI to the Philippines.”

British United Automobiles president Willy Tee Ten, whose automobile dealership conglomerate Autohub is responsible for bringing in MINI into the country, disclosed that negotiations for official representation had been underway as far back as 2006. However, it was only during the inaugural staging of the Singapore Grand Prix last year that significant strides were actually made. And it was only last month when details of the deal were actually finalized. The amount of time it’s taken them to settle the deal, he argues, has given them more than enough time to plan their operations strategy well. In an official statement, Tee Ten stated, “We have a strong team who will spearhead the operations and work closely with our principals to ensure the brand sets new benchmarks in CRM and after-sales initiatives.”

At a time when several established automobile brands are either scaling down their operations or closing shop altogether, the arrival of MINI speaks volumes of the potential that the Philippine market presents. And while many may consider the timing questionable, the fact is that a positive perspective isn’t too hard to justify. After all, with adversity comes opportunity. “MINI is a brand with a strong following. We believe that we will merely be addressing a need that is already out there. We are very confident about bringing in MINI into the country at this time,” said Tee Ten.

Tee Ten also disclosed that the initial number models to be offered will be a manageable three – the Cooper, the Cooper S and the Cooper Convertible, with market prices reportedly being comparable to that of the gray market. He disclosed further that by the time the showroom opens early next year, Autohub will have lived up to MINI’s high expectations and unique corporate image. “We are committed to build an architectural design showroom and service facility equipped with state-of-the art workshop to provide an exciting car ownership experience,” he said. The showroom will most likely be built in Bonifacio Global City, which is home to two of Autohub’s core brands as well.

Best of all, Tee Ten has committed to supply The Philippine STAR with as much information about the brand as possible as the official opening nears. Official statements and first dibs on test drives as well as exclusive interviews with key people from the international MINI hierarchy are thus guaranteed for our ever inquisitive readers. In the coming months, we’ll thus have lots of big news from the MINI car brand. Watch this space.