MINI at 25 – the numbers behind the Oxford-built icon

From cars built and countries reached to doors fitted, colours offered and workers on site, here are the numbers behind 25 years of modern MINI production in Britain

The modern MINI turns 25 this week, a quarter of a century after the first model rolled off the line in Oxford.

More than 4.67 million have since been built in Britain as BMW Group marks the anniversary of one of the country’s best-known small cars.

Production of body parts for the new-generation MINI began in Swindon in early 2001, before the first car came off the line at Oxford on April 26 that year.

Since then, it has installed more than 210,000 tonnes of glass, and fitted 18.2million doors and 19.9million seats – the equivalent of 221 Wembley Stadiums.

Nearly 29million metres of tyre rubber, equivalent to 97 per cent of the Earth’s circumference, has also been used.

In total, 750million brake horsepower has rolled off the production line across its sites, which have produced 4,671,664 cars in 14 model variations including the 3-door, 5-door, Roadster, Coupe, Clubman, Clubvan and Convertible.

These include 95 different body colours and 11,579 personalised combinations.

In the UK, the three most-registered MINI colours since 2001 were Pepper White, Chili Red and Midnight Black, together accounting for 35 per cent of total registrations.

The fastest factory-produced MINI by top speed was the 2020 MINI John Cooper Works GP at 164mph.

Those were exported to more than 100 countries worldwide, BMW said this week.

Its Oxford and Swindon plants now employ more than 3,000 people and produce around 800 MINIs a day, with a new car leaving the line every 78 seconds.

By the numbers: 25 years of the modern MINI

4,671,664 – Modern MINIs built in Britain since 2001

14 – Model variations produced

26 – Special edition MINIs built so far

164mph – Top speed of the fastest factory-produced MINI, the 2020 John Cooper Works GP

100+ – Countries to which Oxford-built MINIs have been exported

95 – Body colours offered over 25 years

11,579 – Different combinations of body colour, wheels and interiors ordered

15in to 19in – Wheel sizes fitted over the past 25 years

35% – Share of UK registrations made up by Pepper White, Chili Red and Midnight Black, the three most popular colours

18,219,752 – Doors attached since 2001

19,892,276 – Seats installed since 2001

221 – Wembley Stadiums’ worth of seats, according to BMW’s comparison

38,769,848 metres – Tyre rubber used, equivalent to a return trip from London to Sydney, or 97 per cent of the Earth’s circumference

210,000 tonnes – Glass fitted over 25 years

750,000,000 – Brake horsepower rolled off the production line

3,000+ – Employees across Plants Oxford and Swindon

111 – Apprentices across the two plants

64 – Nationalities represented in the workforce

44 – Average employee age

16 – Age of the youngest employee

68 – Age of the oldest employee

115 – Employees set to mark 25 years’ service in 2026

26% – Share of the workforce employed since 2001 or earlier

78 seconds – Time between MINIs leaving the line at Oxford

17,500+ – Visitors welcomed on Plant Oxford tours in 2025

4.6 million+ – Engines produced at Hams Hall for Oxford-built models since 2006

Markus Grüneisl, chief executive of BMW (UK) Manufacturing Ltd, said: “This 25-year milestone is a proud moment for MINI and for everyone involved in its production here in the UK.

“From the very beginning, our plants in Oxford and Swindon have been at the heart of MINI’s global success, combining exceptional craftsmanship with innovation. Above all, it is our people – their creativity, expertise and pride in what they do – that continue to make MINI so special.”

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_{Main image: A line-up of modern MINI models produced in Oxford since 2001, as the brand marks 25 years of British production under BMW Group. Credit: BMW Group}