John Cooper Works: MINI's racing DNA

Healthy growth

In the first five months, MINI's sales increased by 5.1 percent from a year earlier to 9,695 units in China.

"What impressed us is that Chinese customers' favor of our SUV model MINI Countryman," said Zhu.

"During the January to May period, the model's sales in China surged 33.8 percent year-on-year, contributing one-third of total MINI deliveries. The consumers we are dealing with now are more discerning than before, with more requirements to function and performance.

"Over the next few years, we hope to maintain the stable and sustainable growth.

"The low double-digit, even single-digit, rate is actually healthy and reasonable for MINI, based on the current sales volume," said Zhu.

In China for 10 years, MINI has sold more than 70,000 cars to local consumers.

Now it provides services through 87 dealerships across the country, and has already established 13 MINI 4S dealerships separated from BMW in first-tier cities.

"In the next 10 years, we and our dealers need to be mature. We should not only focus on profits generated by new car sales.

"As a brand with long-term commitment to the market, we will set our eyes on after-sales, financing and insurance services, as well as the second-hand trade-in business," said Zhu.