I’d say it was even wildly successful too.

As for German MINI manufacture vs. UK — I don’t think it makes any substantive difference. While I can appreciate the notion in favor of preserving cultural tradition akin to the monarchy itself, our contemporary weltanschaung has been dramatically altered vis-a-vis unprecedented economic globalization.

There are many arguable examples that have already unraveled the nationalistic threads that once inspired citizens. Those days are for the most part bygone. BMW and M-B are now U.S. made, as are some Japanese brands. American and German brands are now “Hecho en Mexico.” Harley-Davidson — that much lauded “Great American Freedom Machine” ironically sources many of its components from Asia. While there are a few British makes that continue to manufacture in the UK, e.g., Land Rover, BMW owned Rolls-Royce, VW owned Bentley, Aston Martin and Jaguar, many components are outsourced.

On a personal level, I am in favor of preserving the British MINI legacy. I also recognize the economic realities confronting multinational businesses that regrettably must take precedence. What about the vast proportion of U.S. real estate now owned by foreign investors, including the British and Germans? Relatively speaking, this is a far more significant issue that warrants our concern than where a vehicle happens to be manufactured.

What are you talking about? From the very beginning MINI always had lots of BMW parts. Start with the lug bolts and move right on up to complete modules like the Navigation computer (the 1st gen unit is interchangeable with those on BMW).