PressClub United Kingdom · Article.
‘SUPERCAR SUPERBUILD’: MINI JOHN COOPER WORKS & MINI’S OXFORD PLANT TAKE CENTRE STAGE IN NEW QUEST TV SHOW
Mon Nov 21 14:27:21 CET 2016 Press Kit
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.
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BMW Group
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Author.
Steve Wrelton
BMW Group
- 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.
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