Many MINIs in 2005 - a new record

BMW announced today that MINI production hit a record in 2005, with 200,000 units produced to date. The 200,000th MINI, which rolled off the line on Saturday, was the 766,290th since production began in 2001.

The MINI’s Oxford U.K. plant originally targeted only 100,000 units per year, but has exceeded the target every year since production began. The plant is in the midst of a $175 million upgrade to increase capacity and production flexibility. When the upgrade is complete by the end of 2006, the plant will employ 4,700.

In related news, BMW announced that MINI is the U.K.’s best-selling convertible, with sales by the end of November already running 11 percent ahead of 2004’s best seller. Despite the, um, inhospitable climate, MINI convertibles accounted for over 23 percent of all MINIs sold year-to-date in the U.K.

[Source: BMW Group]