Day 7: Oxford Centenary MINI Tour of Europe

The MINI convoy at the former production plant in Marsa, Malta.

MINI's tour of Europe to celebrate 100 years of car production at Plant Oxford continues in earnest today as the quintet of MINIs are set to arrive at the former Mini production town of Vendas Novas in Portugal.

Having already covered a vast distance from MINI HQ in Munich, to Novo Mesto in Slovenia (formerly Yugoslavia), through Italy to the former production plant in Malta, back through Italy, across France and Spain to Portugal, the team now prepare for their next stop on the tour of Mini's production towns.

Interestingly, the Mini, and in particular the Mini Moke, had two production homes in Portugal, with Setubal being the primary home of production for Portuguese Mokes from July 1983. But by December 1984 the plant was declared bankrupt and closed down. With 333 unbuilt vehicles still in the production line somewhere, Jim Lambert who had been hired as MD of Austin Rover Portugal to sort out the production mess, suggested building the Mokes at another bodyshell manufacturer's plant called Batista Russo at Vendas Novas. In April 1985, production resumed in Portugal to finish off the unassembled Mokes and the last vehicle left the plant in December 1985.

It was during this time that Jim realised that working from the newer, more efficient plant at Vendas Novas that Moke production could infact be cost-effective if more standard, and less Moke-unique, parts were used. After approval from the Austin Rover board, the first of the new 'standardised' Mokes rolled off the production line in February 1986 and production finally ceased in July 1989, with a total of 8171 Portuguese Mokes produced.

The MINI convoy took some time out at the former assembly factory in Marsa, Malta, to meet members from the Malta Mini Owners' Club, who have a strong fanbase. Car production in Malta started quite late on, when in 1960 the Mizzi Organisation built The Car Assembly Ltd, which initially produced Triumph Herald's. But over time demand for a greater selection of vehicles saw other models produced there, including the Mini. The plant closed down in 1981, but there is still a large number of Minis roaming the island - and they look great in the gleaming sunshine!

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