R50/53 British or German?
6th Gear
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,706
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From: Tallahassee FL
British! Final assembly in Oxford, and that tips the scales.
So I guess those Toyotas from Tennessee and Hondas from Ohio are American cars.
So I guess those Toyotas from Tennessee and Hondas from Ohio are American cars.
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pug poo picker-upper
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 9,803
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From: California
If you are going by Final Assembly location:
- The New Beetle and Jetta are Mexican
- The Z4 and X5 are American
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- The New Beetle and Jetta are Mexican
- The Z4 and X5 are American
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6th Gear
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,706
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From: Tallahassee FL
>>The New Beetle and Jetta are Mexican if you are going by Final Assembly location.
>>
Oh, well that makes sense.
No wonder that Beetle is shaped like a taco.
Maybe I'll revise my theory: It's built in England AND Mini is a traditionally British marque. Those two things together do it for me.
This is a good question, though, and one you could ask about a lot of cars. So many are built with components from country A by a company HQ'd in country B with final assembly in country C that the whole idea of national identity being attached to a particular make is getting somewhat obsolete.
For instance, Nissan has an American design team in California, and Mitsubishi is starting a whole program just to build tailor made American market cars in the US. Confusing!
>>
Oh, well that makes sense.
No wonder that Beetle is shaped like a taco.
Maybe I'll revise my theory: It's built in England AND Mini is a traditionally British marque. Those two things together do it for me.
This is a good question, though, and one you could ask about a lot of cars. So many are built with components from country A by a company HQ'd in country B with final assembly in country C that the whole idea of national identity being attached to a particular make is getting somewhat obsolete.
For instance, Nissan has an American design team in California, and Mitsubishi is starting a whole program just to build tailor made American market cars in the US. Confusing!
5th Gear
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 811
Likes: 0
From: Chicago
This get's very, very complicated. I was thinking about this last night while at
Ballys going nowhere really fast (on a treadmill). Some thoughts-
*By funding (after all, it's all about the money!)
*By content (where are the parts sourced?)
*By final assembly
*By value of components (in that case, maybe it's part Brazilian! :smile:
Caio,
-Matt
Ballys going nowhere really fast (on a treadmill). Some thoughts-
*By funding (after all, it's all about the money!)
*By content (where are the parts sourced?)
*By final assembly
*By value of components (in that case, maybe it's part Brazilian! :smile:
Caio,
-Matt
3rd Gear
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 220
Likes: 0
From: Palisades, New York
Inspired by the original, which was 100% British
Built by Brits, in Britain
Car of choice for Austin Powers' time machine. (Oh behave!).
The flag of choice to put on the roof is a Union Jack
IMHO it's more British than Basil Fawlty.
Built by Brits, in Britain
Car of choice for Austin Powers' time machine. (Oh behave!).
The flag of choice to put on the roof is a Union Jack
IMHO it's more British than Basil Fawlty.
Moderator :: Performance Mods
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 5,427
Likes: 6
From: A Den in Maryland
50% British-sourced parts content in the manufacturing and the final assembly plant in Oxford is enough to calssify the MINI as a British car, however, the VIN number shows "W" as the first letter in the sequence which indicates German origin.
The MINI product line was bought by BMW making it a subsidiary company. The same is true for Jaguar which is now owned by Ford, but does not make Jag an American outfit.
MINI has parts from everywhere. Radios and changers from Alpine, a Japanese company (though the units are made in China). The switchgear comes from Alps (Japan, China-made again) or TRW (US, UK-made), Engine from Tritec (A joint venture of BMW and (now) DaimlerChrysler, Brazilian-made), Shocks from Delphi (A unit of GM, but UK-made), engine controls from Siemens (German), body control by Motorola (US), heater-a/c, radiator, body hardware and the locks/keys from Valeo (France, E.U.-made), MCS tranny from Getrag (Germany), etc...
It's a mutt that looks like purebred bulldog to me.
The MINI product line was bought by BMW making it a subsidiary company. The same is true for Jaguar which is now owned by Ford, but does not make Jag an American outfit.
MINI has parts from everywhere. Radios and changers from Alpine, a Japanese company (though the units are made in China). The switchgear comes from Alps (Japan, China-made again) or TRW (US, UK-made), Engine from Tritec (A joint venture of BMW and (now) DaimlerChrysler, Brazilian-made), Shocks from Delphi (A unit of GM, but UK-made), engine controls from Siemens (German), body control by Motorola (US), heater-a/c, radiator, body hardware and the locks/keys from Valeo (France, E.U.-made), MCS tranny from Getrag (Germany), etc...
It's a mutt that looks like purebred bulldog to me.
Banned
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 7,756
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The "BMW MINI" is:
German: Manufacturing, engineering, etc, Siemens electronics
French: Lights, wipers, lockset
Brazilian/American: Engine
British: Headliner, plastic bits, final point of manufacture
American: Seats, design (Yes the new MINI was designed by an American), suspension bits, Delphi systems
Italian: Bumper covers, wheel rims
Japanese: Stereo system
So shall we call the MINI a "World" car?
German: Manufacturing, engineering, etc, Siemens electronics
French: Lights, wipers, lockset
Brazilian/American: Engine
British: Headliner, plastic bits, final point of manufacture
American: Seats, design (Yes the new MINI was designed by an American), suspension bits, Delphi systems
Italian: Bumper covers, wheel rims
Japanese: Stereo system
So shall we call the MINI a "World" car?