Who is actually making the Mini?

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Austin, Morris, BMC, Leyland, Rover? Who is actually making the Mini? In 1959 when the Mini was launched, Austin and Morris Motors Motors has just joined to form the British Motor Corporation or BMC but for products still using the brand of Austin or Morris even though they are identical. In 1969, BMC joined with Leyland Cars, Jaguar and Land Rover to form British Motor Holdings but soon bought by Daimler and Jaguar BLMC renamed British Leyland (BL). This year, the names of the Austin Mini and Morris Mini eliminated and only a Mini, but for the international market the manufacturer's name continues to be used, such as in Indonesia remains a Morris Mini, while in America the name of the Austin Mini was still in use. BL holds licenses for brands such as Austin, Morris, MG, Land Rover, Wolseley, Riley and Leyland.

Entering the 1970s, the Mini is often called the Leyland Mini. In the period 1980, BL was nationalized because of financial problems and merged with Rover, so the company name became Austin Rover Group and Land Rover under British Leyland Group PLC. This time the name of the Austin Mini re-used. Then the Land Rover was bought by Ford and the company's name to Rover Group in the 1990s.

Since the late 1980s, the names of Austin and Morris are no longer used for cars. Name Leyland intended specifically for truck production. Mini itself is called a Rover Mini. In 1994, BMW bought Rover and the name was changed again into MG Rover Group. In 2000, BMW sold MG Rover and then in 2004, MG Rover is officially bankrupt and its assets were sold. Now the car brands are among others: Mini (MINI) owned by BMW, MG (as well as brand Austin, Morris, Wolseley and Riley) owned by SAIC China, Jaguar, Daimler and Land Rover, owned by Tata Group, India. Now, there is no longer British brand which is fully operated by a British company.

Although the company name change, the Mini throughout his life ever produced in Oxford (early 60s), Spain (70), Australia (60s and 70s, most of the Mini Moke), and Portugal (80s, specifically Mini Moke), also in Chile, Belgium and South Africa. But most of the Mini is produced in Longbridge factory in England.

Posted by Ahmad Tasmun

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