‘We are really proud to be British,’ said Sandra Meier, product manager for Mini. ‘The Union Jack is perfect to show this.’
Although top management remains in Munich, Mini’s day-to-day operations take place at its Cowley plant near Oxford, where its hatch and convertible models are built and exported worldwide. The plant employs more than 4,000 staff and is a popular tourist attraction, welcoming over 20,000 visitors on its official tour in 2017.
And despite Brexit, Mini looks set to continue building cars in the UK for as long as it can. ‘For us, it’s important that we build cars in Oxford,’ said Meier. ‘The UK is where Mini’s heart is, and it means the origins of the car are more authentic.’
The firm also operates plants in Swindon, Wiltshire, and Coleshill, Warwickshire, making body panels and petrol engines, while a plant in Born, in the Netherlands, caters for the larger Countryman and Clubman models. The new Mini Electric will be built in Oxford and China.
As for the Union Flags, they can be specified for the wheel centre caps, roof, indicator repeater surrounds, and even as part of a multi-coloured backlit panel on the dashboard.
