‘SUPERCAR SUPERBUILD’: MINI JOHN COOPER WORKS & MINI’S OXFORD PLANT TAKE CENTRE STAGE IN NEW QUEST TV SHOW

- Second season set to air on Quest in the UK

- MINI John Cooper Works Hatch episode broadcast on Tueday, November 29th

- Other Discovery Networks rollout to follow.


MINI Plant Oxford and the most powerful production MINI Hatch ever are set to be showcased in a TV series that profiles some of the most famous names in the automotive world.



 Oxford, the heart and home of MINI production, and the high-performance John Cooper Works Hatch, features in the second season of ‘Supercar Superbuild’ - an 8-part series of programmes that ‘tell the story of mankind’s mechanical dreams coming to life’.



 The hour long episode takes an in-depth look at how a MINI is built from start to finish. It charts the long and fascinating history of Plant Oxford - which has been manufacturing cars since 1913 - and the evolution of the brand from the launch of the classic Mini in 1959 up to the present day.

Since the relaunch of the brand by BMW in 2001 nearly 3 million MINIs have been manufactured in Oxford and sold in more than 110 countries worldwide. Today the plant builds around 1,000 cars to order a day – with a new MINI rolling off the assembly line almost every minute.



 Supercar Superbuild focuses on MINI’s top of the range model – the MINI John Cooper Works Hatch, which is proudly rooted in British motor racing heritage.

Powered by a 231 hp 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbo engine, this sportiest of MINIs with its legendary go-kart feel powers from 0-62 mph in a little over six seconds.

As well as interviews and behind the scenes footage of MINIs being built by the passionate production team in Oxford, the programme also features insights into the manufacture of MINI body pressings at Plant Swindon and engines built at the state of the art Hams Hall plant near Birmingham.

Frank Bachmann, Managing Director of Plant Oxford, said: “We’re honoured to be part of a series that includes some of the most famous names in premium car manufacturing. Taking part in ‘Supercar Superbuild’ offered us a fantastic opportunity to showcase our top of the range model. Here in Oxford the John Cooper Works Hatch is thought of as our supercar and we’re extremely proud of it. What shines through the most in this show, however, is the passion and dedication of those who actually build the car. That’s something that makes me really proud and I hope the viewers get a sense of this too.”



 The MINI episode will first air in the UK on Quest on Tuesday, November 29th followed by various Discovery Networks channels across Europe, Asia, Australia, Latin America and the Middle East as part of the show’s rollout.

In the United States, Supercar Superbuild will be broadcast by Smithsonian Channel, a joint venture between CBS Corporation's Showtime Networks and the Smithsonian Institution.



 Dylan Weiss, Executive Producer from Cry Havoc Productions, said: “The team and I were absolutely thrilled to have the opportunity to visit MINI in Oxford and include the new John Cooper Works Hatch in Season 2 of Supercar Superbuild. At first blush featuring MINI in a supercar series might seem like a bit of an odd choice, but the world of high-performance fun doesn’t just live along the very expensive end of the spectrum.



 “I learned that lesson many years ago while filming a motorcycle documentary in Italy. As we photographed professional test pilots racing their sport-bikes up an alpine road a man came flying up the hill in an original Mini Cooper. He drifted his way to the top with such grace that it put a huge smile on everyone’s face. That image has stayed with me ever since and I hope that this episode in some way helps share that same feeling with the television audience."


Editors notes

MINI John Cooper Works Hatch – performance details



 4-cylinder petrol engine with MINI TwinPower Turbo Technology (turbocharging, direct injection, fully variable valve control, variable camshaft control).

Capacity: 1998 cc
Output: 170 kW/231 hp at 5200 – 6000 rpm

Max torque: 320 Nm at 1250 – 4800 rpm
Acceleration (0-62 mph): 6.3 seconds (automatic: 6.1 seconds)
Top speed: 152 mph (152 mph)

Exterior dimensions:

Length: 3,874 millimetres
Width: 1,727 millimetres
Height: 1,414 millimetres
Wheelbase: 2,495 millimetres



 Supercar Superbuild episodes are as follows:

Jaguar – F-Type; Rolls Royce – Wraith; MINI – John Cooper Works; Chevrolet – Camaro; Alfa Romeo – 4C; Porsche – 911; Audi - R8; Mercedes – AMG GT.
 

The BMW Group

With its three brands BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 30 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2015, the BMW Group sold approximately 2.247 million cars and nearly 137,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for the financial year 2015 was approximately € 9.22 billion on revenues amounting to € 92.18 billion. As of 31 December 2015, the BMW Group had a workforce of 122,244 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.

www.bmwgroup.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BMWGroup

Twitter: http://twitter.com/BMWGroup

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/BMWGroupview

Google+: http://googleplus.bmwgroup.com