Mini’s future in Oxford plant ‘under scrutiny’ as new platforms could be made in China
Mini may see a major overhaul as new models pushed back to at least 2023 and Chinese car maker Great Wall takes on parts of production
THE OXFORD Mini car factory may team up with Chinese manufacturer Great Wall to create all future models, according to .
The motor news site also claims that no new models will be released until at least 2023, including an update on the current Mini that was originally planned for 2019.
Great Wall already secured a deal with Mini owner the BMW Group in July to create electric Minis for the Chinese market under the Spotlight Automotive venture.
Since the car's platforms will already be made in China - for cheaper than it is in the West - Autocar says that this deal could extend to the non-electric fourth-generation Mini.
The car maker told Sun Motors that it will not be releasing any details about the future range, however, it remains committed to its UK production facilities.
The Mini Electric will be made at the Oxford and unveiled next year with production starting shortly after.
Meanwhile, Mini's Oxford plant will close on the day after Brexit for at least a month of annual maintenance.
The change in the usual summer closure date is to alleviate any potential cross-channel delivery troubles should there be a temporary shutdown of UK ports in a no-deal Brexit.
A BMW Group spokesman told Sun Motors: "Planned annual maintenance periods are normal practice at all BMW Group production sites.
"They allow essential updating and equipment replacement to be completed over several weeks while there is no production taking place.
"These maintenance periods are part of careful long-term planning and don’t have an impact on the planned production volumes.
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"As a responsible organisation, we have scheduled next year’s annual maintenance period at Mini Plant Oxford to start on 1 April, when the UK exits the EU, to minimise the risk of any possible short-term parts-supply disruption in the event of a no-deal Brexit.
"While we believe this worst case scenario is an unlikely outcome, we have to plan for it.
"We remain committed to our operations in Britain, which is the only country in the world where we manufacture for all three of our automotive brands."