2019 is a rather special year for Mini. It marks 60 years since the very first model rolled off the production line and is also the year in which the 10 millionth Mini was built, the exact date being July 24 at the Mini plant in Oxford. The car—a Mini 60 Years Anniversary Edition—along with 59 of its forebears (one for each year of manufacture) returned to the factory in August for a birthday gathering then headed off to the Mini Meeting in Bristol for their annual festival.
Not only do these 60 cars cover each year of manufacture but they bookend the entire history of the Mini as the first one ever built was in attendance too. While the rebirth of the brand in 2001 under the leadership of BMW saw a very different Mini being introduced, it bore some of the hallmarks that had made the Sir Alec Issigonis original such a global success, namely a design that pushed boundaries, a strong focus on driving fun and the option of a high level of personalization.
Peter Weber, managing director of the Mini Plants in Oxford and Swindon, said, “As we celebrate 60 years of our iconic brand and look towards an electric future, I would like to thank everyone who has made Mini such a global success, from my team here to the loyal customers and fans around the world. To see the 10 millionth Mini roll off the production line here at Oxford was a moment of great pride for the whole team, a number of whom have relatives who were here building the very first Minis in 1959. This is a wonderful chapter in the Mini story and proof of the passion that our customers have for this very special British car.”
The popularity of the Mini continues to grow as evidenced by the nearly 400,000 units that were sold in 110 countries in 2018. With the Oxford plant alone building a new Mini every 67 seconds, we are sure to see even more impressive production milestones in the coming years.
Images courtesy of Mini
