BMW will build 15,000 less MINIs in 2006

Just when BMW broke the 200,000 unit mark -- twice as many MINIs as it felt it needed for the vehicle to be a successful venture -- the company has to cut back production to retool for new MINIs. The 2007 MINI line will be all-new, requiring some factory modifications that will result in a halt in production. Unfortunately for BMW, this amounts to up to 20,000 units, or 10 percent. BMW had hinted back in November that it would have to scale back production in order to update the plant, but it had not released a number at the time.