Cowley: Exciting times for Oxford-built MINI

MINI has returned to one of the biggest stages in motorsport. In April, the MINI World Rally Championship (WRC) team was officially launched at the MINI plant in Cowley, Oxford, before making a strong debut in the Rally Italy round of the FIA World Rally Championship in Sardinia in May.

This season, the team is contesting six rounds of the championship with the MINI John Cooper Works WRC. The car was developed by Banbury-based Prodrive, in close cooperation with MINI, and is based on the MINI Countryman production model. It is powered by a 1.6-litre turbo engine also used in MINI production cars, which was developed by BMW Motorsport.

The goal in the debut season is to gain valuable experience to be perfectly prepared to take on the entire 2012 World Rally Championship. Kris Meeke (GB)/Paul Nagle (IR) and Dani Sordo (ES)/Carlos del Barrio (ES) form the driving team.

At the team launch in the “T Building” of the MINI plant, former rally drivers Paddy Hopkirk and Rauno Aaltonen drove onto the stage behind the wheel of the legendary Classic Mini Cooper S. The guests at the launch were then treated to their first look at the MINI John Cooper Works WRC in its final World Championship design, before Meeke and Sordo completed a number of demonstration runs on a specially set out track at the plant.

Ian Robertson, member of the board of management of BMW, responsible for sales and marketing, said: “On the one hand, MINI can look back on a unique success story. On the other hand, MINI is the epitome of excitement for millions of fans around the world and thrills them with its energy. This is precisely what we are able to authentically represent through our motorsport involvement in the World Rally Championship. Thrilling rally events, ultimate performances by man and machine, and as much success as possible, of course: motorsport is pure emotion – just as MINI is for its fans.”

Meanwhile, MINI reported record sales figures for the first quarter of 2011. In March, 30,689 vehicles were sold (+28.5%), easily exceeding the brand’s previous monthly best from 2008. A total of 60,860 vehicles were sold in the first quarter of 2011, a sales increase of 22.9% compared with the first three months of last year.

The MINI Countryman, introduced last September, contributed to the brand’s positive performance so far this year, said parent company BMW. With 8,392 vehicles sold, the newest MINI version accounted for more than a quarter of MINI retail in March.

In April, MINI sales climbed to 23,839 vehicles (previous year 17,719), an increase of 34.5% over the same period last year. The number of MINI models sold up to and including April this year rose to 84,698 vehicles (previous year 67,251), an increase of 25.9%.

Robertson said: “2011 got off to an excellent start for the BMW Group with new sales records. This positive development is mainly thanks to our attractive model range and healthy auto markets in many parts of the world – in the established markets of Europe and the U.S., and in the emerging markets of South America and Asia. Sales volume of the year 2011 is expected to rise to well over 1.5 million units, a new all-time high, with the BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands all achieving new sales volume records.”

For more information visit: www.mini.co.uk