BMW may reverse Mini out of UK following Brexit

BMW hinted it may shift production of the quintessentially English Mini car to mainland Europe, a harbinger of the cultural tremors that may follow Brexit’s economic fallout.

The German automaker is preparing for “different scenarios” in response to the UK’s planned exit from the EU, and has the leeway to move output elsewhere if necessary, it said yesterday. While most Minis are made in Oxford some of the urban brand’s models are already produced in the Netherlands and other facilities could also handle assembly.

“Our production network offers us flexibility,” chief executive Harald Krueger said at BMW’s annual press conference in Munich. Nevertheless, “the UK remains an important location for us. Much will depend on how Brexit is ultimately negotiated.”