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MINI Timeline 2001 - 2021

A timeline of all MINI milestones since 2001.

Vintage, Heritage Events
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Heritage
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Milestones
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MINI Brand Heritage
 

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Helen Wilson
BMW Group

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2000

September – Decision to move production of MINI from Longbridge to Oxford

2001

April 26 – Start of MINI Production at Plant Oxford

July 7 – New MINI Hatch is launched in the UK (First Generation)
MINI One and MINI Cooper go on sale on July 7 and come with a vast array of options to add a personal touch to each car. Mini owners have always enjoyed personalising their cars inside and out, and every Mini owner has a view on what represents the ideal specification. New MINI will continue the theme, offering over 40 options, 3 option packages, 3 different alloy wheels and 8 colours available to order at launch.

October 24 – Cooper S unveiled at 2001 Tokyo Motor Show
MINI Cooper S will be unveiled at the 2001 Tokyo Motor Show on October 24, hot on the heels of the successful UK launch of MINI One and MINI Cooper. The flagship model is due to set pulses racing next summer.

2002

May 16 – Diesel MINI announced
Following the MINI One and MINI Cooper launch in 2001 and the impending arrival of MINI Cooper S on June 8, it was confirmed today at BMW Group's Annual General Meeting that a diesel MINI will be available in 2003.

May 30 – 100,000th MINI built at Plant Oxford

The 100,000th MINI has come off the production line at BMW Group Plant Oxford today (30 May) just 13 months after the car went into volume production. The car, an electric blue MINI Cooper S, is one of more than 4,000 Cooper S models already ordered by UK customers even before the 163 bhp supercharged top-of-the range MINI goes on sale in the UK on 8 June. Following the launch of the MINI in the UK in July 2001, over 25,000 MINI One and MINI Cooper models have been sold in its home market.

2004

April 23 - MINI Cooper S Convertible launched
MINI UK is delighted to announce pricing and specification details of its new range topping MINI Cooper S Convertible. The MINI Cooper S Convertible will make its UK debut at The Sunday Times Motor Show Live on 25th May. It will be priced at £17,595 and will go on sale in the UK at the end of August. Just like the MINI One Convertible and MINI Cooper Convertible, the MINI Cooper S Convertible will be built at Plant Oxford in the UK.

BMW Group announces £40 million investment at BMW Group Plant Swindon

August 25 - 500,000th MINI produced at Plant Oxford
The 500,000th MINI has come off the production line at BMW Group Plant Oxford
today, three years after the car first went on sale in July 2001.More than 375,000 of the 500,000 MINIs have been exported representing over 75 per cent of the total produced since the launch of the car. The UK car export market is worth approximately £11 billion per annum* and MINI is the UK's fifth largest car manufacturer.

2005

500,000 engines delivered by Hams Hall

November 15 - Autocar names MINI Car Manufacturer of the Year 2005
Autocar magazine has named MINI Car Manufacturer of the Year 2005 at its annual award ceremony held in London on Monday 14th November 2005. Presenting the award, Autocar editor Rob Aherne said: "MINI has been a towering success every week of every year of its short life. The cars, which began production in 2001, have brilliantly echoed the appeal of the Issigonis original, while offering buyers a thoroughly modern design."

2006

February 21 - MINI Cooper S with MINI John Cooper Works GP Kit unveiled at Geneva Motor Show
The MINI Cooper S with John Cooper Works (JCW) GP Kit will make its first public viewing at the Geneva Motor Show. The fastest, most powerful production MINI ever will reach 62mph in under 6.5 seconds and achieve a top speed of 146mph. The GP has a power output of 218bhp, a stunning 136bhp per litre, and a maximum torque of 245Nm.

August 14 - Second Generation MINI Hatch launched
The overwhelming success of its predecessor, launched in 2001, has paved the way for the new MINI to consolidate and expand its position in the premium segment it created. In five years it has sold over 800,000 around the world, and 200,000 in the UK alone.
The external design of the new MINI has re mained true to its phenomenally successful forebear, yet every body panel is different. The MINI design team rightly deemed evolution preferable to revolution and MINI's styling remains instantly recognisable. Five years after its launch it still stands out, and this design explains why demand for the curre nt MINI is higher today than it has ever been.

September 19 - Major investment & prince engine supplied to Oxford from Hams Hall, creating the Production Triangle for the first time
+ £200 million investment and 450 new jobs created by BMW Group.
+ UK-based suppliers invest £40 million and create 750 new jobs.
+ MINI production triangle in the UK established.
+ UK content for new MINI rises from 40 to 60 per cent.
+ Production capacity increases from 200,000 to 240,000 vehicles per annum in medium term.

November 16 – New MINI on sale in the UK.

2007

January 16 – MINI One and Cooper D introduced to the MINI UK range
The new MINI hatch line-up will soon be complete, when the new MINI One and MINI Cooper D models are unveiled to the public at the International Geneva Motor Show on 8 March 2007. The entry-level One features a perky 95hp 1.4-litre petrol engine, while the Cooper D boasts performance and fuel efficiency from an all-new 1.6-litre 110hp turbodiesel powerplant.

MINI Plant Oxford pioneers innovative paint technology
Plant Oxford is the first BMW Group manufacturing site to use IPP (Integrated Paint Process). This highly innovative system brings energy savings and emissions reductions of well over 10 per cent in the painting of body shells.   As well as enhancing the efficiency of the entire paint process, IPP also supports BMW Group's environmental objectives by dispensing with a solvent-based primer-surfacer.

BMW Group launches Strategy Number ONE

July 30 - MINI Clubman launched for the first time
The new MINI Clubman will go on sale in the UK on Saturday 10 November 2007. Based on a concept first shown at Frankfurt Motor Show in 2005, the new car is a modern interpretation of its famous Mini predecessors taking into account all the demands and technologies of the 21st century. Available from launch in three engine variants: Cooper D, Cooper and Cooper S, the new model offers flexible use of space, easier access through innovative door concepts, more space for rear passengers and high levels of safety and customisation options, all without compromising the MINI's revered driving dynamics

2008

Tours begin at MINI Plant Oxford

December 1 - Second generation MINI Convertible launched

The new MINI Convertible is set to make a welcome return to UK roads in 2009, with a completely new version of the British-built favourite due to go on sale on 28 March 2009. MINI Cooper and Cooper S derivatives featuring innovative engine technologies will be offered at launch, meaning fans of the compact, premium new MINI Convertible are guaranteed performance, frugality, minimal running costs and a unique image as standard.

2009

May 8 – 50 Years of MINI Production at Plant Oxford
Fifty years ago today, the first Mini rolled off the production line at Cowley, now called Plant Oxford. For the first time in half a century that very car is returning to its birthplace for a celebration of 50 years of production. The Mini Minor, finished in Old English White and carrying the registration number 621 AOK, is at Plant Oxford for the day to mark its birthday in style.

June 24 - MINI E trials begin, backed by UK Government
BMW Group’s successful application to the UK Government’s Technology Strategy Board followed an invitation for proposals outlining innovative, industry-led collaborative research projects involving ultra-low carbon vehicles. The objective of the Technology Strategy Board is to encourage manufacturers to develop ultra-low carbon vehicles that customers want to buy and bring them to market as rapidly as possible. MINI E models will be on UK roads for a twelve-month field trial that will evaluate the technical and social aspects of living with an all-electric vehicle in a real world environment. This yearlong project will play an important part in informing future strategic and technological decisions.

MINI Olympic Torch passes through MINI Plant Oxford, held by associate Jodie Evans.

September – MINI John Cooper Works GP announced

2010

January 20 - MINI Countryman launched (produced in Graz, Austria)
MINI is adding a fourth model to the family, opening up a new dimension of that unmistakable MINI feeling. As a genuine Crossover, the MINI Countryman bridges the gap between the classic concept of the MINI and a modern Sports Activity Vehicle. Boasting enhanced opportunities in urban mobility and beyond, the MINI Countryman offers that unique driving pleasure so typical of MINI to new target groups requiring extra space and flexibility. As the first model in the MINI range with four doors and a wide-opening rear lid, the MINI Countryman provides even greater freedom of space for truly versatile use, a slightly elevated seating position, and optimized driving comfort. Full integration of the passengers within the vehicle creates that driving experience so typical of MINI. And at the same time the MINI Countryman maintains that go-kart feeling likewise so characteristic of MINI, optional MINI ALL4 all-wheel drive offering an additional highlight for the genuine connoisseur. In a nutshell, therefore, the MINI Countryman offers all the characteristic features of the brand in terms of design, premium quality, handling, efficiency and customisation in new, fascinating style.

December 19 – MINI Paceman concept unveiled

2011

24 February - MINI Rocketman concept unveiled at Milan Fashion Week 2011
Underpinning this success has been the creative use of space, a principle that enters new territory with the MINI Rocketman Concept. The study car, which will be revealed to the public worldwide for the first time at the International Geneva Motor Show (3 – 13   March 2011), harks back to the classic Mini in terms of its exterior dimensions, while its technology points to the future of automotive design. A 3+1-seater with 3   doors and a length of just over 3   metres (approx. 10 ft.), the MINI Rocketman Concept responds to the fundamental requirements of mobile lifestyles in the big cities of the future by pooling the brand’s core values in concentrated form. Ingenious functionality, smile-inducing agility, exceptional efficiency and irresistible design come together into an extraordinarily attractive and ground-breaking, yet typically MINI, subcompact car concept for the premium segment.

23 September - MINI Coupé announced
First two-seater sports car from MINI;
- Typically MINI: characterful design, signature go-kart handling, high standard spec including unique active rear spoiler, extensive personalisation programme.
- John Cooper Works variant has range-topping acceleration and top speed.
- Four-model engine line-up; three petrol, one diesel.
- Built in Britain at Plant Oxford.
- On sale 1st October 2011 priced from £16,640 OTR.

2012

MINI London 2012 Edition announced

16 April - MINI Roadster announced
The MINI Roadster is the first premium model of its kind in the small car segment, offering buyers a unique package that will bring the joy of MINI ownership to a passionate and demanding group of new customers. Selling alongside the Hatch, Convertible, Clubman, Countryman and Coupé, the MINI Roadster   is in UK showrooms now.

15 November – MINI breaks World Record, squeezing 28 MINI Fans into a 2012 MINI.

2013

8 March – Celebrating 100 years of car-making in Oxford

12 March – 250,000th MINI Countryman leaves the factory

21 March - MINI Paceman unveiled
A sporty new exterior design, lowered suspension for a dynamic ride and an exciting reinterpretation of the familiar interior – feast your eyes on the all-new MINI Paceman. Styled as a coupé interpretation of the Countryman, five versions are available from launch, including the MINI Cooper   S Paceman which has a 0-62mph of just 7.5 seconds. The seventh unique member of the family, it sells alongside the Hatch, Clubman, Convertible, Countryman, Coupé and Roadster.

November 18 – David Cameron visits Plant Oxford to see worldwide debut of Third Generation MINI
The new MINI has made its worldwide debut today (18 November) at MINI’s UK production plant in Oxford and features all-new vehicle architecture , an evolutionary design and a range of new fuel-efficient engines to give owners even more fun behind the wheel. A £750 million investment across three of BMW Group’s UK manufacturing facilities marks the launch of the new car, with a new 1,000-robot body shop at Plant Oxford.

2014

13 March - Third Generation MINI Hatch launched
Even though the new MINI Hatch is instantly recognisable – something which comes from having such a globally identifiable design – the car is completely new from the ground up. Every component has been back to the drawing board in an effort to optimise its function, performance and style. The result is ‘The New Original’, a MINI which is distinctly familiar but enhanced in every single way. It features significant improvements in technology, engine efficiency and power delivery, driving dynamics, quality and – of course – personalisation. Inside, the new MINI Hatch is quieter than the outgoing model, with improvements to acoustic refinement inside the cabin.

4 June - First ever five-door Hatch unveiled
Just months after launching the new MINI Hatch, MINI has today expanded its model range with the addition of an entirely new body variant – the MINI 5-door Hatch. It’s the first time in the history of the brand that the Hatch has been offered with two rear doors, and the new model promises to combine the hallmark driving fun, distinctive character and refinement of its 3-door sibling with enhanced practicality. This brand new model features enhanced interior comfort and practicality thanks to the extended wheelbase. Rear passengers now have 72 millimetres more legroom compared to the 3-door Hatch, while the increased space also provides room for a third seat in the back row. The two rear doors make access to the enhanced rear seating more comfortable.

1 July – First 5-Door Hatch rolls off production line at Plant Oxford

One of the UK’s largest roof-mounted solar farms is installed at MINI Plant Oxford. On the roof of the bodyshop, the solar farm has more than 11,500 panels, covering 20,000 square metres (five football pitches). It generates enough electricity to power the equivalent of 850 households (over 3 megawatts). This allows Plant Oxford to reduce its carbon footprint by approximately 1,500 tonnes of C0 2 per year.

2015

25 June – MINI gets a new logo

Building Cars: Secrets of the Assembly Line for BBC1 filmed live across two evenings at Plant Oxford. First aired in August 2015. 

3 November - Second generation MINI Clubman launched
Following the success of the re-energised MINI 3-door Hatch and the successful launch of the MINI 5-door Hatch, the new model offers customers a premium vehicle featuring the highest level of ride refinement ever seen in a MINI. The car’s much-loved signature design feature – its split rear doors – are retained, while accessibility and everyday usability are further enhanced thanks to four full-sized side doors.

Second generation MINI John Cooper Works GP launched at Paris Motor Show (2,000 units globally)

2016

23 January - Third generation MINI Convertible announced
On sale in the UK from March 2016, it follows hugely successful model launches in 2004 and 2009. Since 2011 until 2015, 29,415 MINI Convertible models have been sold in the UK making it the best-selling convertible in the country. It remains the only premium soft-top four-seater convertible in the small car segment, and the UK continues to be the largest market worldwide for the new MINI Convertible.

Plant Oxford celebrates 15th anniversary

April 6 – Plant Oxford joins Instagram

June 20 – David Cameron & Harriet Harman visit Plant Oxford

BMW Group celebrates centenary

BMW Group launches Strategy NUMBER ONE > NEXT.

2 December - Plant Oxford celebrates 3,000,000th MINI rolling off the assembly line since production began in 2001.

2017

The Drum Social Buzz award for ‘MINI Plant Oxford Instagram’

17 January - Second generation MINI Countryman unveiled
The new MINI Countryman is the biggest and most versatile model to be launched in the brand’s 57-year history. With its larger external dimensions, and increases in space throughout the cabin and luggage area, it offers occupants even greater comfort and a genuinely premium ambience. Useful new features such as electric tailgate control with touch-free opening and unique options, including a fold down picnic bench at the rear, add to the ownership experience.

30 August - MINI Electric concept announced at Frankfurt Motor Show

Almost 10 years after MINI E laid the foundations for production-standard battery electric vehicles within the BMW Group, MINI is now offering a window on the future of urban electric mobility. With a focus on driving excitement and inspiring design, it moves the brand’s urban tradition into the electric age and in doing so spices up the conventional notion of electric mobility. A production version of the MINI ELECTRIC CONCEPT will be unveiled in 2019.

2018

BMW Group launches UK apprenticeship programme at Plant Oxford, Swindon and Hams Hall

2019

MINI celebrates 60 Years of MINI

19 June - Italian Job 50 th anniversary celebrated at Plant Oxford
Tonight at its home in Oxford, MINI will gather the cars and the stars of The Italian Job for a unique double celebration and charity screening of the much-loved film. This year marks 60 years since the first Mini rolled off the lines at Oxford and 50 years since The Italian Job premiered in London in June 1969. 

9 July - MINI Electric announced
MINI has today unveiled the new MINI Electric at the Oxford plant, the home of the brand where the very first Mini was built 60 years ago. After 15,000 potential customers already expressed an interest in the car, the official order books are opened today. Manufacturing will begin in late 2019, with first deliveries in the spring of 2020 and exports headed around the world.

9 August - 10,000,000th MINI built at MINI Plant Oxford
As MINI continues to celebrate its 60th   anniversary, the brand has achieved a new feat as the ten millionth MINI produced globally since 1959 rolled off the assembly line. The landmark car – a MINI 60 Years Anniversary Edition – was built on July 24th   2019 at MINI Plant Oxford and will take pride of place in today s special event at Oxford.

25 September - Hams Hall celebrates 5,000,000th engine production across both BMW and MINI

20 November - 3rd MINI John Cooper Works GP announced
Following the success of the two previous MINI GP model generations, it will be built in Plant Oxford in a limited run of 3,000 vehicles globally, 575 of which are for UK customers.

MINI Plant Oxford given “Best Told Story” accolade from the official tourism agency for England, Visit England (won again in 2020)

2020

January – MINI Electric customer production begins at Plant Oxford . The MINI Electric is fully integrated into the production process at Plant Oxford, making it the first BMW Group Plant to have electric running down the same line as the combustion engine models, allowing flexibility in production according to global demand. By the end of 2020, a total of 17,580 were sold and delivered to customers around the world, 3,385 of which in the UK.

No production output from 23 March to 18 May due to Coronavirus Pandemic

MINI Plant Oxford given “Best Told Story” accolade from the official tourism agency for England, Visit England

30 July - Plant Oxford achieves production milestone, producing 11,000 MINI Electric models
• MINI Plant Oxford has built more than 11,000 MINI Electrics since production began
• More than 3,000 MINI Electric orders in the UK to date.

27 October - MINI reveals future product plans and new strategy focusing on electromobility, crossovers and production of models in China from 2023. 

2021

17 March – MINI confirms its last combustion engine model will be launch in 2025 and the brand will become electric only from the early 2030s.

30 March – MINI announces MINI Electric Pacesetter car for Formula E, inspired by John Cooper Works.
The MINI Electric Pacesetter inspired by JCW is the new Safety Car for the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship race series. As such, it connects the brand’s electrified future with the rich racing history of John Cooper Works. The car was created out of the new MINI Electric as part of an unprecedented collaboration between MINI Design, BMW Motorsport, the FIA and the Formula E.

 

Ends

The BMW Group
With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. The BMW Group production network comprises 31 production and assembly facilities in 15 countries; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2020, the BMW Group sold over 2.3 million passenger vehicles and more than 169,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2020 was € 5.222 billion  on revenues amounting to € 98.990 billion. As of 31 December 2020, the BMW Group had a workforce of 120,726 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company set the course for the future at an early stage and consistently makes sustainability and efficient resource management central to its strategic direction, from the supply chain through production to the end of the use phase of all products.

www.bmwgroup.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/BMWGroup
Twitter: http://twitter.com/BMWGroup
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/BMWGroupView
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bmwgroup
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bmw-group/

MINI Press Office Contacts:
Helen Wilson
Senior Press Officer, BMW & MINI Communications
Tel: 07815 372480
Email: Helen.Wilson@bmw.co.uk

Georgina Cox                                                     
MINI Media Relations Manager
Tel: 07815 370878               
Email: Georgina.Cox@mini.co.uk

Emma Begley
General Manager, Product and Internal Communications
Tel: 07815 371062
Email: Emma.Begley@bmw.co.uk

Graham Biggs                
Corporate Communications Director
Tel:  07815 376867
Email:  Graham.Biggs@bmw.co.uk

Media website:
www.press.bmwgroup.co.uk
www.mini.co.uk
www.twitter.com/miniuk
www.facebook.com/miniuk
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CO2 emission information.

The values for fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and energy consumption shown were determined in a standardised test cycle according to the European Regulation (EC) 715/2007 in the version currently applicable. The figures refer to a vehicle with basic configuration in Germany and the range shown considers transmission (automatic or manual) and the different wheels and tyres available on the selected model and may vary during the configuration.

The values of the vehicles labelled with (*), are already based on the test cycle according to the new WLTP regulation and are translated back into NEDC-equivalent values in order to allow a comparison between vehicles. More information on the transition from NEDC to WLTP test procedures can be found here.

These figures are intended for comparison purposes and may not be representative of what a user achieves under usual driving conditions. For plug-in hybrid vehicles and battery electric vehicles the figures have been obtained using a combination of battery power and petrol fuel after the battery had been fully charged. Plug-in hybrid vehicles and battery electric vehicles require mains electricity for charging. The CO2 emissions labels are determined according to Directive 1999/94/EC and the Passenger Car (Fuel consumption and CO2 Emissions Information) Regulations 2001, as amended. They are based on the fuel consumption, CO2 values and energy consumptions according to the NEDC cycle.

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