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Profitable, but it won't translate to widespread availability or sales. Like I posted, MINIs sales numbers are relatively small, and other fashionable small cars, like the SMART and Fiat 500, can't replicate this success in the US.
It's not that makers market them as cheap. Have you seen Fit ads? They're pretty nifty, The Spark had that billion dollar ad called "Transformers 2", and the much touted Internet poll to choose it's styling. The problem is "cool" is not something you can successfully manufacture all of the time... Hence the Escalade. That suffered from spontaneous coolness. Cadillac's marketing had nothing to do with it.
Still, it's a profitable niche in Europe. The Opel ADAM, which I think I mentioned, is debuting at Paris. Based on the same platform as the Spark and Sonic, but in three door, like the MINI... and like the MINI, it'll get powerful engines (up to the turbo 1.4), lots of luxuries (up to 18" wheels), and a relatively big price tag for the size.
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