MINI Clubvan Scared Away by Chicken Tax, Slow Demand

You might remember the MINI Clubvan; a stripped down version of the Clubman aimed at small businesses.

What you probably don’t remember is hearing about the MINI van (no pun intended) selling. That’s because it barely baptized in the U.S. market before the brand thought better and aborted sales. Only 50 left dealer lots.

Low demand and the effect of an excessive 25 percent tax on commercial vehicles were key factors in the decision, MINI communications manager Nathalie Bauters told Green Car Reports.

In case you forgot, the Clubvan was little more than a MINI Clubman with the rear seats removed and windows blocked. The company had hoped small businesses with delivery services would find the small, utilitarian vehicle to be a useful alternative.

It offers a scant 33 cubic feet of cargo space compared to more common choices like the Ford Transit Connect or Nissan NV200, but MINI postulated that it would be possible to sell a small cargo carrier in the U.S. Alas.

Bauters says sales outside the U.S. are strong in markets where the car actually enjoys tax benefits.

GALLERY: MINI Clubvan

[Source: Green Car Reports]

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