One Millionth MINI Video & Photos
Over the last couple of months had some requests for more information about the special edition One Millionth MINI that was produced at Oxford earlier in the summer. So we’ve gathered a series of photos taken at the press introduction of the car at Oxford (and a few we took at MINI United 2007) along with an official promotional video made by BMW.
And for those that might have missed the initial story from last April, here’s the full press release on the car:
>Official MINI UK Press Release: Six years after the start of series production, the one millionth MINI has rolled off the production line at Plant Oxford. This represents another milestone in the car’s history and highlights the continuing success story as rising global demand for the British-built car heads for new production and sales records.
>MINI UK will see its biggest monthly sales record since the car went on sale in July 2001. Preliminary figures indicate 7,854 sales in March. The previous record month was in March 2006 with 7,687 sales. The new record signals the successful launch of the second-generation MINI Cooper and MINI Cooper S in November 2006 and orders are strong for the forthcoming MINI One and MINI Cooper D (on sale from 14 April). 2007 also sees the launch of the new MINI Clubman. This will be the third model in the increasing MINI range, joining the Hatch and Convertible.
>Since its launch MINI has defined a new market segment — the premium small car with a worldwide presence and a comprehensive range of customisation options. From Chile to China, MINI is enjoying growing popularity among customers across 80 markets around the world. Almost 80% of MINIs, which are all built to individual customer orders, are currently produced for export. While initial forecasts suggested a market for 100,000 units per year, sales have totalled more than double that figure reaching a record of 200,428 units in 2005.
>Developments at Plant Oxford have reflected MINI’s success. In 2001 some 2,400 associates worked in single shift operations to build up to 300 cars a day. Today more than 4,700 associates work 24/7 to produce as many as 700 MINIs per day. During the same period maximum production capacity for the plant has risen from 100,000 to over 200,000 units per year, and in the medium term, annual capacity is planned to reach 240,000 units. In total BMW Group has invested £380 million into Plant Oxford since 2000 to increase production capacity and to prepare for new MINI derivatives.
>With the launch of the second generation MINI towards the end of 2006, the MINI Production Triangle was formed as the UK plants Hams Hall and Swindon became an integral part of MINI production. Hams Hall, near Birmingham, supplies petrol engines and Swindon supplies pressings and sub-assemblies to Plant Oxford. Together they bring the total number of MINI production associates in the UK up to 6,800.
>Another area in which MINI has continued to develop is in the efficient use of natural resources in the car’s production. Since the first full year of production in 2002, Plant Oxford’s energy consumption and CO2 emissions have both gone down by 20%, while water consumption has dropped by more than 30% per unit. In addition, more than 25 different waste materials from production are recycled.
>Like all MINIs, the one millionth car was produced to customer order. In this case the customer is BMW Group’s heritage division, Mobile Tradition. The colour of the landmark MINI Cooper S is Pepper White with a specially-developed paint for the roof, Almond Green, accentuated by a million graphic extending onto the bonnet. The interior matches the roof with leather seats, steering wheel and gearknob all in Almond Green leather.
Cool video! Are those smoked headlights available anywhere?
Wow, that was very cool to see that thing come together…does anyone know if the customer who ‘bought’ or ordered the 1 millionth MINI will get this one or is this going to a museum? Imagine that phone call….”sir, you will be getting a white MINI with green wheels…goodbye”
Gabe, do you know if there are any plans to introduce the smoked headlights as an option on future cars? Lovin em!
Dunno if it is specifically pointed out in the press release, but I found it interesting after seeing the car at MINI United that only the driver’s seat and driver’s mirror are green. The rest are all black, as is the passenger mirror cap.
MINI 1 million belongs to BMW AG.
>Gabe, do you know if there are any plans to introduce the smoked headlights as an option on future cars? Lovin em!
The headlights are not smoked. The backing plastic has been simply painted flat black (instead of chrome). Looking at the assembly, it wouldn’t seem that this would be all that difficult to do for a DIY project.
<b>Will they come to market officially? I asked that question of Gert Hildebrand – lead designer at MINI. He simply said, if enough people want them, we will make them. </b>
I don’t love chrome, but the blacked out headlights don’t thrill me. I’d like to see what it would look like in body color.
I’m not a huge fan of the chrome either, but the painted black looks great, on a black mini I would think stunning! … Gabe perhaps another mod?
That’s Hot!
My yellow R56 sports lightly tinted headlight film cover, it’s more subtle than the Million MINI. They’re from Lamin-X.com they already have precuts for R56s. I smoked out the bumper reflectors and the tailights too.
So they do have a barrel of non-metallic BRG laying around 🙂
nah – it looks closer to a bright kelly green than a BRG…
Well count me as 1 who wants to see the black headlights as a option from MINI.
If not I will be doing it as DIY.
Lavadera,
I’ve seen the 1M car in the flesh, at the factory. It’s not a kelly green. It’s definitely not metallic. To me it looks like a BRG with heavy leanings toward a forest green. The color in the photos is pretty much spot on.
I think the painted headlights look great and will plan to be doin it to mine as soon as it arrives. I think it will look best on the brighter colors [Mellow Yellow, Red, and Black]
I don’t remember what forum I saw it, but somebody had modded their headlights like this. It involved putting the headlights in the oven to get them apart. Scary.
The dark headlamps is the coolest thing I’ve seen in a long time.
I REALLY like the blacked out headlights. They should definitely be an option. Body color would be very nice too, which is what many of the MINI’s I’ve seen that have done this mod themselves have done.
Count me in as another fan of the blacked out headlights. While I don’t think these would have looked as good in the R53, the black out treatment really goes a long way in improving the front end looks of the R56. It doesn’t look as “bloated” if you will. Definetely, a must mod for the R56 and R55.
I want Almond Green. 🙁
The blacking out of your lights, front and rear, may be illegal in some countries. Why would you want to want to reduce light emmissions and risk lower visibility rate?
The tinting of windows is also a no-no in some countries.
People pay good money to have clear light lens.
The lens isn’t blacked out. Look at the interior of the light housing around the bulbs. That is the part that is blacked out.
Ahhhhh! First the Chris Bangle BMW eagle eyes now the Hildebrand MINI frog eyes! It ain’t easy being green as Kermit said.
The paint looks more like Almond Green….again. Nice graphics!
>The paint looks more like Almond Green
I’ve also seen it first hand and it is indeed Almond Green.
>The lens isn’t blacked out. Look at the interior of the light housing around the bulbs. That is the part that is blacked out.
Yes as stated in an earlier comment… the lens IS NOT blacked out.
<blockquote>I’ve seen the 1M car in the flesh, at the factory. It’s not a kelly green. It’s definitely not metallic. To me it looks like a BRG with heavy leanings toward a forest green. The color in the photos is pretty much spot on.</blockquote>
I defer to the eye witness. I love the off center graphic – very retro and the graphic very contemporary at the same time, very appropriate, nice to see they choose such a treatment for this special car.
you know, a car like a mini is so easy to make look nice with a little bit of money. Its sad to see a car company with millions of dollars not be able to tastefully accessorize their own car. one millionth mini FTL
Ah… on closer look I see that the inside reflectors are the surfaces painted. But surely this still cuts down the amount of light reflection?
Any light reflecting off the chrome inards would not be going where you wanted it to go. If anything it would cut down glare for others.
I don;t think the chrome has any other purpose other than cosmetic. A Flat black coating would seem to cut down on the glare being produced from the reflective chrome surface. Does anyone have any idea how the cover comes off? Is it just snapped/screwed on or does it require, as someone else said in a previous post, heating the light assembly to pry them apart?
Callahan, the headlight cover is glued too, aside from being snapped/screwed in. I guess putting it in the oven will melt off the glue, but I’m not trying it.
Ooops yes it’s Almond Green. I’ve been trying to find a roof color (if I ever repaint it) that would work with PW w/Sunroof. That green is pretty nice.
I’ve been looking at a similar color for my roof and mirrors (maybe wheel centers).
<a href="http://tomeli.ownit.nu/Bbilder/Morris%201958%20Minor.jpg" rel="nofollow ugc">http://tomeli.ownit.nu/Bbilder/Morris%201958%20Minor.jpg</a>
I have an Astro Black car though and am worried that it might not work since the AB paint seems to have more of a blue tint to it.
As far as the headlight cover…If it is glued, how to you get in to change the turn signal bulb? I think changing the color of the headlight well might make an interesting DIY project.