• Mini's production number 200,000 from 2005 Mini arrives in Australia
• More than 750,000 Mini hardtop and Cabrio models built since 2001
• Third model expected within three years

Last year, the Mini factory in Oxford (England) achieved its aim of producing more than 200,000 cars in one year, and that milestone model has arrived in Australia.

The 200,000th Mini built in 2005; a Pepper White Mini Cooper S Cabrio is now in Sydney. To date, more than 750,000 Mini hardtop and Cabrio models have been produced since production began in 2001.

By building more than 200,000 cars in one year (in 2005 a grand total of 200,400 Mini models rolled off the production line), Mini confirms the vision of the BMW Group in manufacturing the modern Mini brand.

Initial expectations of producing 100,000 cars a year were quickly overtaken, as sales and orders for the Mini hardtop and in 2005, Mini Cabrio, blasted through company projections.

The factory in Oxford has been expanded to cope with additional production requirements and is only silent for five hours a week while regular maintenance is carried out.

There are few car making plants in the world that can boast that high level of production capacity utilisation. Unlike most other models, Mini sales continue to grow, even in the fifth year of its model life.

In Australia, Mini sales in 2005 peaked at 2,103 cars, an increase of almost 40 percent on 2004 sales.

And at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January, Mini announced it was planning to expand still further, introducing a third model within three years, to join the hardtop and Cabrio models.

For 2006, Mini in Australia has already launched two new models, the Mini Park Lane and the Mini Checkmate, which will sit alongside the regular and Chilli models.

Of course, in true Mini style, both the Mini Park Lane and Mini Checkmate can be ordered with the naturally aspirated 1.6-litre engine or the high-performance supercharged 125 kW 1.6-litre engine.

Additionally, the sportiest Mini buyers may now option their Mini Cooper S with the John Cooper Works Tuning Kit, direct from the factory. This delivers an amazing 154 kW of power and 245 Nm of torque and rockets the hardtop models to 100 km/h in 6.6 seconds. The up-rated John Cooper Works performance Brake Package is also fitted to these models.

The Tuning Kit is available on all Mini Cooper S models including Mini Park Lane and Mini Checkmate.

Sports-minded buyers can opt for a wide range of performance enhancing features from the factory-approved John Cooper Works range.

“Mini in Australia is delighted to welcome the 200,000th car built in 2005,” says Justin Hocevar, National Manager Mini.

“As one of the most enthusiastic Mini markets in the world, it is fitting that this remarkable milestone car comes to us.”

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