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July 27, 2009
This Week:
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MINI brand gets 50 and celebrates
production milestone of 1.5 million cars
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The 1,5 million MINI with Ian Robertson, head of BMW
Group sales |
Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of
the brand, MINI Plant Oxford celebrates a production milestone.
Just weeks after the official 50th birthday celebration for the
brand at the Silverstone track, the MINI plant in Oxford claims
another milestone. Since production began in 2001, 1.5 million
MINI units have been produced there. The milestone model, a MINI
Clubman in Chili red, cleared the end of the production line in
the presence of Business Minister Ian Lucas and BMW Group board
member Ian Robertson. It is destined for a British customer.
Since the brand was relaunched and
production started in Oxford, MINI has become a global success
story. In recent years, its hallmark blend of driving fun,
individual style and premium quality has led to rising sales in
every continent. Worldwide, this unique premium small car is now
sold in 80 countries, with its most recent launch in Brazil. |
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Ian Robertson, member of the Board of
Management of BMW AG, responsible for Sales and Marketing, said:
“This is a great day for the plant and a wonderful milestone to
reach in the 50th birthday year of MINI. The very first classic
Mini rolled off the production line here at this plant on 8 May
1959.
“It was wonderful to see the passion
that owners feel for MINI at the car’s recent birthday
celebrations at Silverstone, when 25,000 people from around the
world joined the party. It is a privilege to be part of the
heritage and future of this car.” Robertson added, “This is a
tough time for the car industry and no business is immune from
its challenges, but MINI is an extremely resilient brand with
huge customer appeal and we have seen a strengthening order bank
in recent months. We will launch a wealth of new models in the
coming years and the future is looking extremely bright.” |
The BMW Group has invested more than £380
million in MINI Plant Oxford since 2001 and a further £100 million in
the Hams Hall and Swindon plants, which make up the MINI Production
Triangle. The BMW Group employs more than 7,000 people in the UK and its
activities account for around 1 percent of the country’s GDP. In all,
the BMW Group has invested more than £1 billion in the UK since 2000.
MINI Plant Oxford currently builds the MINI,
MINI Clubman and MINI Convertible. It also produces the ultra-sporty
MINI John Cooper Works, MINI John Cooper Works Clubman and MINI John
Cooper Works Convertible models. Of the 1.5 million MINI cars built in
Oxford so far, the traditional closed two-door version accounts for
around 1,24 million. In addition to these, 179,000 MINI Convertibles
have passed through the factory gates in Oxford, along with 79,000
examples of the MINI Clubman. In the years 1959 to 2000, UK production
figures for the classic Mini came to more than 5.3 million. When
combined with the figures for its successor, total global sales for the
brand amount to 6.8 million cars.
(July 06, 09)
Photos: MINI
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