Production of the fifth-generation Mini Cooper has got underway at the company’s Swindon and Oxford car plants.

The first complete car rolled off the production line on March 11, with workers joined by the head of Mini, Stefanie Wurst, for a special event in Oxford.

The new MINI Cooper is the latest generation to be built in the UK, with all three BMW Group UK manufacturing sites contributing to production.

The Swindon factory produces body pressings and sub-assemblies, while the three and four-cylinder petrol engines are built at BMW Group Plant Hams Hall in Warwickshire and the body shell production, paint and final assembly take place in Oxford.

“We are delighted to welcome the new Mini Cooper to our lines in both Oxford and Swindon,” said Markus Gruneisl, head of the Swindon and Oxford plants.

“The new Mini Cooper is an incredibly important car for our team and UK manufacturing. We are proud to produce this iconic car, loved all over the world.”

“This milestone underscores the commitment to our roots while propelling us into a dynamic future of driving," added Stefanie Wurst, head of Mini.

The sites are also currently gearing up to build two new all-electric Mini models from 2026, by which time BMW Group will then have invested more than £3bn in the trio of UK plants.

The latest Cooper, priced from £22,300, joins the Cooper Electric and new Mini Countryman in the current Mini range, with first customer deliveries expected to take place in the spring.