In the pre-BMW era, MINI cars were built at two plants in the United Kingdom: the first in Cowley, Oxfordshire and the second in Longbridge, Birmingham. In time, Longbridge became the only place of assembly.
BMW Era
BMW acquired the MINI marque and redeveloped the entire plant in Cowley, demolishing much of the old factory to create a new one. The German company has named the new facility “Plant Oxford.” Since then, the plant in Longbridge was no longer in charge.
MINI Production Triangle
Since 2006, the full production line includes three facilities. BMW Plant Hams Hall near Coleshill, Oxfordshire produces the MINI petrol engines (diesels are made outside the UK), Plant Oxford is responsible for the body shell production, paint, and assembly, and MINI Plant Swindon in Swindon, Wiltshire produces body pressings and sub-assemblies. It is the so-called “MINI Production Triangle.”
BMW Plant Hams Hall has around 800 employees, Plant Oxford – 4,000, and MINI Plant Swindon – 1,000.
Plant Oxford assembles up to 800 cars each day (approximately 240,000 per year). The bodyshop holds 429 robots, assembling 425 body panels; the bodyshells are then moved to the neighboring paint shop where paint robots apply the 14 exterior color options and optional contrasting roof colors. Final assembly involves the fitting of 2,400 components to produce the numerous variants that may be ordered.
MINI Plant Swindon, in turn, produces 280 different pressed parts using 135 welding robots. Originally, it was Swindon Pressings Ltd, founded in 1955 by the Pressed Steel Company and became a wholly owned subsidiary of the BMW Group in May 2000.
MINI Hardtop (also known as Hatch outside the United States), Clubman, and Convertible models were assembled exclusively at MINI Production Triangle till 2014.
Other Assembly Sites
The MINI Countryman is the first modern MINI assembled outside the UK, with the contract won by Magna Steyr company based in Austria. Subsequently, Magna Steyr also won the contract to produce the MINI Paceman.
In 2013, assembly of the MINI Countryman was expanded to three new international locations: BMW Plant Chennai India in Chennai, India (specifically for the Indian market), BMW Group Malaysia Plant in Kulim, Malaysia, and BMW Group Manufacturing Thailand Plant in Rayong, Thailand.
In 2014, VDL NedCar automotive manufacturing company based in Born, Limburg, Netherlands started the production of the MINI Hatch for the US market. One year later they also started the production of the MINI Convertible.
There are no production sites in North America.
2016 MINI
The range of modern MINIs available for purchase is quite big. The cheapest will cost you $20,700 MSRP while the price for coolest MINI John Cooper Works ALL4 starts at $35,600. You can choose the one that suits you most in here.
Edited on April 5, 2016, by adding information about VDL NedCar (thanks to a tip from our reader).
As far as I know there is another plant in the Netherlands producing MINIs since November 2015. VDL Nedcar in Born is assembling the MINI Convertible.