International success of MINI signals further investment and employment for the UK motor industry

The international success of the new MINI range, produced at BMW Group Plant Oxford, has resulted in a further £50 million investment at the factory to increase production and productivity, BMW Group announced today.

The world-wide customer reaction to the MINI, MINI Cooper and the soon to be launched MINI Cooper S has also led to the creation of 700 more permanent jobs at Oxford and a further 300 jobs at the BMW Group Pressings plant at Swindon and 150 jobs at the Group’s transmission factory in the West Midlands, which supplies MINI gearboxes.

In the 12 months since the start of full production - on April 26 2001 - employment at Plant Oxford has risen from 2,400 to around 4,500 with the early introduction of three shift, seven days working, 51 weeks a year.

Speaking in Oxford, Dr Norbert Reithofer, BMW Board Member for Production said: “The MINI is clearly an international success story. Customer reaction around the world has been astounding. People have been camping outside dealers in the United States for a test-drive and showrooms in Japan had to be closed for a while to cope with the numbers of people wanting to see the car.”

“We had planned to produce 30,000 cars to the end of last year but the actual figure was more than 42,000. With further production rises already this year Plant Oxford will produce the 100,000th MINI during the month of May - just 13 months after the start of volume production” said Dr Reithofer.

Investment at the plant will include measures to improve productivity and flexibility, develop the site infrastructure and introduce the MINI Cooper S.

The MINI range will be available in 50 markets throughout the world by the end of 2002, with the United States, Europe and Japan being major markets for the car. About 75 per cent of sales are expected to be for the MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S models.

In the UK market, MINI sales in the first quarter of 2002 continued to rise with 10,595 units delivered to customers out of total sales of more than 25,000 MINIs throughout Europe

Second month of USA MINI sales sees more delighted customers

MINI USA reported its first full month of retail sales in April with 1,559 cars being delivered to customers. The figure comprised 1477 MINI Coopers and 82 MINI Cooper S’. Availability of the MINI Cooper S will increase as production ramps up in the coming weeks.

Sales this month have truly demonstrated the diversity and breadth of MINI customers: A MINI dealer in South Carolina has registered a MINI Cooper to the oldest buyer to date, a 96 year old - who insisted on a 5 speed manual configuration. A dealer in New York state has delivered a car to the tallest, a man of over 7 feet.

Three more MINI dealers opened in April: Prestige MINI in New Jersey, Classic MINI in Ohio, and Northwest MINI in Seattle, Washington. The network now stands at 56 with further dealers due to open in the next months.

Jack Pitney, general manager of MINI USA said: “MINI is now in its first full month of sales and our dealers have done a terrific job in delivering cars into customers hands. We feel that buying a MINI is a unique experience and so we paid special attention to the whole MINI delivery process. We are delighted at the response from our new MINI customers to that process.”

MINI USA is expected to sell 20,000 cars in its first full year through a network of approximately 70 MINI dealers, when fully established. The 115hp MINI Cooper has an MSRP of $16,850 and the supercharged 163hp MINI Cooper S is $19,850. Both prices include delivery charges.