Mini BMW
Mini is an automotive brand owned
by the BMW Group
that has produced the successor of the original Mini since
April 2001.
Currently, four body
variants are available: Hardtop, Convertible, Clubman and
Countryman.
Overview
The car, whose first generation was designed by Frank Stephenson draws inspiration from the original Mini, which was manufactured by the British
Motor Corporation and its successors from 1959 to 2000. The name of the
car's brand, MINI, is all-capitalised to distinguish it from its
predecessor. Development of the first generation had been done between 1995 and 2001
by Rover Group in Gaydon, United Kingdom and BMW AG in Munich, Germany.
During this development phase, there was continual contention between
the two design groups, especially concerning the positioning of the car;
Rover wanted a straight economy car, whilst BMW supported a small,
sporting car. Ultimately, BMW prevailed, and in 1999, they assumed
control over the entire project following the departure of BMW's CEO, Bernd Pischetsrieder. When BMW divested itself of Rover in 2000, BMW elected to retain the
Mini project, and to move the planned production site of the car from
Rover's Longbridge plant, (the former production plant of the traditional Mini) to BMW's Oxford
plant in Cowley, Oxford, United Kingdom
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