International MINI Production "within 10 years"?

[British SD]

Its inevitable that some production will eventually be made locally in North America (US/Canada/Mexico). Currently the parts are distributed out of Germany, the cars are shipped at significant cost from U.K. and since they all don't qualify under NAFTA (North American free trade agreement), import duty is applied.

However, it still won't be the same. a British Icon car that is British assembled still feels well, more British. A guinness still tastes best in Ireland as well as Fish & Chips from my favourite U.K. chippy. That nostalga and connection to the motherland would be lost.

Just don't spoil the fun and tell me the fish was caught off the coast of Norway!

[faster,Tobias!]

Quote: Originally Posted by Sowellman (original)

Speaking of which, is it true that some added smarts rub off on Mini owners because their cars have gone to Oxford? That's what I'm hoping, anyway.

I think your MINI owner displays above-average intelligence just from their choice of cars alone.

[bugiz]

NoooOOoooOOOoo......
Well, looks like I'm gonna hold on to my Oxford built R56 for a bit longer.

[Zipperblues]

Quote: Originally Posted by MINICooperMurph (original)

April fool??

I think so too. How convenient it is that this news came out on a Sunday when MINI could not comment.

[The Peanut]

Also April 1st.....

[Paul]

Quote: Originally Posted by Washy (original)

Interesting name that...especially if you run it through Babel fish.....

Quote: Originally Posted by spur (original)

I have not been on here for a while but you had me believing for 20 seconds.

Quote: Originally Posted by MINICooperMurph (original)

April fool??

Quote: Originally Posted by Zipperblues (original)

I think so too. How convenient it is that this news came out on a Sunday when MINI could not comment.

Quote: Originally Posted by The Peanut (original)

Also April 1st.....

We've a bit of a tradition here for this, started a few years back.

The clue was in our good Doctors name (and of course his English Breakfast comments).

Production of the MINI going overseas has been on the agenda and discussed since 2002, so it's not as far fetched as some of our previous stories, and I hoped that as well as being a wind-up it could spark some good debate too.

1st April News on MINI2:

1st April 2007: MINI to be Produced in India, Austria and USA "within 10 years"...
1st April 2006: MINI Going Retro & Getting Funky in 2006
1st April 2005: MINI Factory Strike Causes Production Delay Nightmare

[Zipperblues]

I may have caught this years April fools joke, but I was still waiting for the '06 MINI to go retro and funky!

[Paul]

.

[minirog]

, I was taking this seriously until I read the last few posts!

It'd be nice if they seperated MINI design and based it here as well as built it here though - bit too much BMW in the R56 IMHO.

In all seriousness I loathe those BMW style indicators so much they could put me off getting one. However, at least I now know one of the reasons most BMWs seem incapable of indicating a lot of the time