How much longer can you order and still get a 2007 model or will all orders now or in the near future be 2008's?

 

You won't be able to order a 2008 until November or December. Depends on who you ask, my MA said December others say November. But I don't think there was an official announcement yet.

 

So is the assembly line building old '07s and new '08s at the same time for months?

 

Yeah I thought that was kind of weird too. I just assumed that they have different assembly lines for european and US models.

 

I would imagine that they have a "training" assembly line for the '08 and would gradually integrate into the main '07 assembly line.

 

if you have the opportunity, go to oxford and tour the plant. there is one line and they create every variant for every country on the same line. it is amazing! Convetibles, Coopers, Cooper Ss, old body, new body, and even the Clubman. It's amazing.

i believe the expanion is to create an additional line to do the same thing.

 

So if there is only one line how can they be shipping 2008 cars to Europe in August and 2007 cars to the US at the same time?

 

as i said above, they are all made on the same line. they don't make all one car, then make another car. they make them all at the same time. for example if you were looking at the line you might see a convertible, then an 07 S, then a 08 Cooper, then D, etc. All those cars could be going to the same place or to different places.

they have all the parts along the line placed in order of the build. For instance, every country has different regulations for glass and where the VIN shows through. the windshields are stacked in order of the country of destination so when the car comes through, it get's the right windshield. Same goes for wiring harnesses, engines, etc.

I repeat, it's amazing.