BMW to up MINI production

Last year, around 160,000 MINIs were made, and most have been sold in the UK and the USA. BMW says that it is not considering opening a second MINI factory anywhere else, and that the Oxford facility will remain the only place that builds the model.

A spokesman told Automotive News Europe that each car sold makes BMW a significant profit, and that the company has been surprised by the high demand for the more powerful Cooper and Cooper S variants; 60-70 percent of MINIs sold so far have been these models, though the company originally expected the MINI One to account for a similar proportion.

Sales of options and accessories have also been far greater than anticipated. MINI sales should rise further with the imminent introduction of the diesel version, and the launch of the cabriolet.