Not an April Fool’s Joke: MINI Product Halted Due to Lack of Doors
We’re not running an April Fools story this year because this is as close if not better than what we had planned. And it’s real. According to the witneygazette.co.uk MINI has halted production because of a tooling problem at the Swindon plant. The culprit? They have no more doors. Rest assured the issue should be corrected and by the time workers arrive back at the Oxford Plant after the scheduled Easter break, there should be doors aplenty.
For those who haven’t read our previous stories on the manufacturing process, MINI uses “just in time” manufacturing for many components on the cars. The idea is that it keeps inventory low and costs down. The issue of course is when a disruption occurs is has the ability to halt all production. As in; “ok, who forgot to order more bloody doors”.
<p>Doesn’t sound like a “tooling” problem to me.</p>
<p>yeah some tool forgot to order more doors</p>
<p>Naw………………
It’s the new Beachcomber vert for 2010.</p>
<p>“You were only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!”</p>
<p>i’m sure the local pubs don’t mind….</p>
<p>Could you imagine if you could follow your car being made like in this picture? That would be great!!</p>
<p>Maybe this is part of the refresh?</p>
<p>I heard there is a door shortage due to increased demand from the R60 production……</p>
<p>Yea , the whole line is going beachcomber/ just like in Detroit auto show w/o the doors.</p>
<p>I just hope they get the paint right so the door match the MINI.</p>
<p>sounds like some of the clowns are in charge of building our clown cars</p>
<p>hahaha wow. Thats kinda funny/awesome</p>
<p>As you know from touring the plant, the first thing that happens when the cars start down the line, is the doors come off and are mated back to the car when it is near completion. Your surly are joking!!!!!</p>
<p>I always thought the doors and body were always painted together otherwise the color wouldn’t match. I guess they now must have “unbelievable” quality controls for their painting process.</p>
<p>At least the assembly line can not substitute the missing doors with something else like the 2008 Week 37 – 42 headliner swap out.</p>
<p>too funny….</p>