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MINI delivers its one millionth UK-sold car
MINI has delivered its one millionth car sold in the UK, just over 20 years since the start of modern MINI production began in 2001.
MINI has sold over 5.1 million cars globally in the past two decades, and the UK is the brand’s largest market.
The latest milestone comes a few months after BMW Group’s UK manufacturing plants in Oxford and Swindon celebrated 20 years of MINI production. The plants employ over 4,500 people, including 130 apprentices, and currently build 1,000 MINIs a day – one every 67 seconds.
MINI has delivered its one-millionth car sold in the UK – BMW Group’s UK manufacturing plants in Oxford and Swindon recently celebrated 20 years of MINI production / Picture: BMW Group
David George, director of MINI UK, said: “To have sold over one million MINIs in just 20 years is a remarkable milestone; we are all extremely proud. This achievement is testament to the fantastic cars we’ve built and launched during that time, our customers’ continued love for MINI, and the strength and unwavering dedication of our retail network.
“As we see the increasing demand for our MINI Electric and MINI Countryman Plug-In Hybrid models, which account for nearly a fifth of global electrified sales, we’re excited to see what the next 20 years hold, as we transition into our fully electric future.”
MINI will launch its last model with internal combustion engine in 2025 and, by 2027, the share of all-electric vehicles in global MINI sales will be at least 50 percent. In the early 2030s, MINI will be the first BMW Group brand to go fully electric.
20 years of UK manufacturing milestones:
2001 – Start of MINI production at Plant Oxford.
2004 – BMW Group announces £40m investment at Plant Swindon.
2006 – Plant Hams Hall produces a new engine family and supplies Oxford for MINI production, creating the UK MINI “production triangle”.
2007 – Plant Oxford is the first BMW Group manufacturing site to use IPP (Integrated Paint Process). This innovative system brings energy savings and emissions reductions of well over 10 percent in the painting of body shells.
2014 – One of the UK’s largest roof-mounted solar farms is installed at MINI Plant Oxford. On the roof of the bodyshop, the solar farm has more than 11,500 panels, covering 20,000 square metres (five football pitches). It generates enough electricity to power the equivalent of 850 households (over 3 megawatts). This allows Plant Oxford to reduce its carbon footprint by approximately 1,500 tonnes of CO² per year.
2019 – MINI Plant Oxford builds its ten millionth MINI.
2020 – MINI Electric customer production begins at Plant Oxford. The MINI Electric is fully integrated into the production process at Plant Oxford, making it the first BMW Group plant to have electric running down the same line as the combustion engine models, allowing flexibility in production according to global demand.
2021 – MINI confirms its last combustion engine model will be launched in 2025 and the brand will become electric-only from the early 2030s.
MINI Plants Oxford and Swindon employ over 4,500 highly-skilled employees, including 130 apprentices, building 1,000 cars a day (photo taken before Coronavirus pandemic) / Picture: BMW Group