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First MINI 5-door Hatch Rolls Off the Production Line in Oxford

Today, the MINI plant in Oxford celebrated a first in its 100-year history, overseeing the first 5-door Hatch model leaving the assembly lines. The car, launched less than a month ago, is going on sale this autumn, in dealerships worldwide.
MINI 5-door Hatch assembly line 23 photos
Photo: MINI
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In the making of this new model, BMW and MINI invested over £750 million over the last 3 years with the aim of having a completely revamped facility by 2015. Amongst the special guests invited at the event were UK’s Business Secretary, Vince Cable and Frank Bachmann, Managing Director of MINI Plants Oxford and Swindon.

“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 investment programme in the UK,” said Vince Cable.

“This is an exciting day for us with the first ever 5-door MINI for the plant, which opens up a whole new market segment for the brand,” added Frank Bachmann. “BMW Group has invested in creating state-of-the-art technology and facilities at Oxford and Swindon for the launch of this new generation of MINI, demonstrating the company’s commitment to a long-term future for its UK production sites,” he added.

The latest member of the MINI family will be indeed looking at a new segment. It will be aiming at those people wanting to be part of the family but that couldn’t live with the limitations of the 3-door version. Adding those extra doors in the back could make the biggest difference yet in persuading these possible customers.

In order to make the 5-door version on the same line as the 3-door one, the factory had to be fitted with new tooling for the body sides, new equipment in the wax sealing line in the plant’s paintshop to accommodate the extra door and differences in the shaping of the rear of the car, new rear door cells in the sub-assembly line at Plant Swindon and a new roof and panel tooling in Swindon’s press shop.
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