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BMW celebrate 25 years of Oxford Mini production

Jamie Morrisand
Chris McHugh,South of England, Oxford
News imageBMW Group A group of workers standing underneath the "Mini Plant Oxford" sign. They are all wearing blue and some are holding signs marking the anniversary.BMW Group
In Oxford, 115 employees are gearing up to mark 25 years of service this year

An Oxfordshire manufacturing plant has been at the heart of British vehicle production for more than 100 years.

In that time, Mini Plant Oxford has rolled out cars for Morris Motors, British Leyland, the Rover Group and, for the past 25 years, the modern Mini with BMW.

Production for Mini body parts began in Swindon in early 2001, with the first new generation of Minis rolling off the line in Oxford in April that year, marking the start of a new chapter for one of the UK's most iconic cars.

Markus Gruneisl, BMW UK Manufacturing Ltd's chief executive said: "From the very beginning, our plants in Oxford and Swindon have been at the heart of Mini's global success, combining exceptional craftsmanship with innovation."

News imageBMW Group Eight different MINI's in varying models make up a collage of the vehicles in different locations.BMW Group
The top three colours registered in the UK over the past 25 years are Pepper White, Chili Red and Midnight Black

Originally known under the names of its predecessors, like the Austin Seven and Morris Mini-Minor, its history, as with many modern cars, has seen multiple brand owners and alterations.

Over the past 25 years, once BMW took over and moved to Oxford, modern Mini production has evolved across model generations, including the Roadster, Coupe, Clubman, Clubvan and Convertible.

In total, 4,671,664 Minis have now been built in the UK since 2001.

Lauren Hart, communications specialist at the Oxford plant, said the convertible was her favourite model, adding that she drives a red one with black stripes on the bonnet.

She will also celebrate her 25th birthday two weeks after the anniversary of Mini production starting.

"My first car was actually a Mini, so it kind of feels like full circle, having one to start, having one now and turning 25 as the brand turns 25."

Key facts

  • The workforce represents 64 nationalities
  • The youngest employee is 16 and the oldest is 68
  • 19,892,276 seats have been installed, the equivalent of 221 Wembley Stadiums
  • 127,198ft (38,770m) of tyre rubber has been used, equivalent to a return trip from London to Sydney or 97% of the Earth's circumference
  • 750 million break horsepower has rolled off the production line

Mini Plant Oxford is where assembly of the cars takes place and it is seen as the home of Mini production, while the Swindon plant, in Wiltshire, crafts the precision-engineered body panels.

According to the BMW group, a new Mini drives off Cowley's production line every 78 seconds.

Simon Farrall has been working at the Oxford plant since Mini production started and said he thinks it is the design of the car that has "stood the test of time".

When BMW got involved in the 90s, he said it bought a new view of what the car could look like, away from the classic British design, which was much smaller.

"I just think it's a gorgeous piece of design," he said.

Farrall owns a Mini Cooper, which he said brings a "smile to your face" every time he gets behind the wheel.

While moving with the times and keeping the product fresh, the director of future production systems added: "A Mini will always be a Mini".