The New MINI 5-door Hatch Rolls out from the Oxford Plant

The first of the new MINI 5-door hatch has finally come off the production line from the company's Oxford plant. This 5-door hatchback is a first for MINI production at the Oxford plant, and marks another phase in the roll-out of a 750 million Euro investment programme across BMW Group UK's production facilities from 2011 to 2015.

Vince Cable, Business Secretary, said, "The launch of the all-new 5-door MINI is a further boost for the UK's manufacturing sector, and will help to secure jobs in Oxford and Swindon as part of BMW's 750 million Euro investment programme in the UK. BMW's continued commitment and investment in the UK underlines the continuing success story that is UK automotive manufacturing."

The 5-door is the second member of the MINI family to be built on a new platform. The innovative approach to design increases the flexibility of the body manufacturing process, allowing more models of greater variation to be produced more efficiently, an essential element of MINI's build-to-order appeal.

There is also a new bodyshop at Oxford and significant investment in facilities and technologies at MINI Plant Swindon, where the car's body panels are pressed and a number of sub-assemblies are carried out.

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