Production of the new, fifth generation MINI Cooper starts at the home of MINI, Plant Oxford.
Associates at MINI Plant Oxford were joined by Head of MINI, Stefanie Wurst for a special on-site event in which the first three-door model was driven off the production line by Charlie Cooper, grandson of the legendary John Cooper, whose heritage inspired the Cooper moniker.
The new MINI Cooper is the latest generation to be built in the UK, with all three BMW Group UK manufacturing sites contributing to production: BMW Group Plant Swindon produces body pressings and sub-assemblies, while the latest highly-efficient three and four-cylinder petrol engines are built at BMW Group Plant Hams Hall in North Warwickshire. Finally, these parts come together at MINI Plant Oxford where body shell production, paint and final assembly take place.
Announced last month, the new MINI Cooper arrives as the third member of the new MINI family, joining the MINI Cooper Electric and the new MINI Countryman. Available in two model variants: the MINI Cooper C and the performance-enhanced MINI Cooper S, the latest three-door merges traditional brand values with innovative, future-orientated technology.
With its high level of flexibility, competitiveness and expertise, the MINI Oxford plant plays an important role in the BMW Group's production network and is currently preparing to build two new all-electric MINI models from 2026. The BMW Group will then have invested a total of more than 3 billion GBP in the Swindon, Hams Hall and Oxford plants.
