Americans Can Buy Efficient Cars

May 4, 2003 – Vol.8 No.6

AMERICANS CAN BUY EFFICIENT CARS.

Small, fuel-efficient conventional cars can sell in the U.S. With clever marketing for a stylish product, MINI USA, a division of BMW, has sold 50 percent more cars than originally anticipated. The company thought it would sell 20,000 cars in the first year since its launch in March of last year, but it has sold 30,000.

The MINI (though in fact not as efficient as it probably could be given its size) is rated at 28 City, 37 by the U.S. EPA, in its base model with a manual shift. The car also requires pricey Premium high-octane gasoline. The truly efficient MINI will be the diesel version if it makes it to U.S. shores. A diesel MINI could, of course, run on biodiesel. Visit MINI at http://www.miniusa.com/ .