Trevor Boicey wrote:
> Rick Doig wrote:
> > By the end of 1960 it was decided by BMC management that: 1.) The
> > car was to be re-designed 2.) The factory would "badge engineer" an
> > MG version (that's why it's the Sprite MarkII and the Midget MarkI)
>
> ...which incidently sent sales through the roof.
>
> While the Frogeye's are very desirable today for their
> styling, the square styling was a big hit at the time. I guess
> it made the car seem like more of a car and less of a little
> toy, which made it a justifiable purchase to more people.
Actually Trevor,
They sold OK, but sales did not soar. Look at the production figures... 1962
and 1964 were
the only years that BMC's squarebody outsold the 1960 Bugeye, and that was less
than 5%
more. And with twice the dealer networks!!!! General marketing principals
say that the
additional outlets should have translate to more sales. Some of the later, BL
Midget, sales
were up there, but I do not have the figures handy
YEAR SPRITES MIDGETS
________________________
1958 8729 N/A
1959 21566 N/A
1960 18665 N/A
1961 10059 7656
1962 12041 9906
1963 8852 7625
1964 11157 11450
1965 8882 9162
1966 7024 6842
1967 6895 8330
1968 7049 7372
1969 6129 13085
1970 1292 14811
1971 1022 16410
--
Patton Dickson Dallas, TX
1967 Austin-Healey Sprite H-AN9-L/69437
See My Austin-Healey Sprite Page
http:// www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Shores/1256/page2.html
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