Mini Plant Oxford will be celebrating 100 years of car production this month. Having been established in 1913 on the site of Oxford’s military college, this factory has been through numerous name-changes and owner-changes, but has survived into the 21st Century to produce one of the world’s best-loved superminis – the Mini.

William Morris, who gave his name to the Morris car, was the first to begin car production here, turning out the Bullnose Morris Oxford until 1926.

The British Motor Corporation (BMC) was created in 1952 with the merger of Austin and Morris, which in turn changed to British Motor Holdings in 1967 following a merger with Jaguar.

Next year, the British Leyland Motor Corporation was created, when BMH merged with the Leyland truck company, which included Rover and Triumph.

Following more name changes the Rover Group emerged, and was sold to British Aerospace and then BMW in 1994. BMW offloaded Rover and Land Rover, but kept MINI. Considering the success of Land Rover, they may regret this now. However, BMW turned MINI into a highly successful car that is now exported to countries around the globe.

Now, Mini Plant Oxford produces the Mini hatchback, Clubman, Convertible, Clubvan, Coupé and Roadster. The Countryman is manufactured in Graz, Austria.

The return of British car brands

British car marques were regarded as fairly toxic in the 1970s and 80s, but a few high end gems have re-emerged from the sell-offs of the past. MINI, Land Rover and Jaguar now produce very popular cars with appealing design aesthetics. Brands like Rover have fallen by the wayside, perhaps because they were too suburban, too concerned about whether or not their cars would have owners calling their Annual Breakdown cover providers too often, rather than whether or not it was an exciting car to drive.

If the Oxford plant’s 100 years has taught us anything, it is perhaps that the UK is better off producing high-end cars, rather than mass production models.