Although Sir Alec designed and built the original MINI at Cowley (now MINI Plant Oxford) for most of it’s life the Classic MINI happily rolled off the production lines at the Longbridge plant in Birmingham.  Originally an Austin plant, the factory complex passed through the hands of BMC, British Leyland, BMW and eventually MG Rover.  Due to circumstances too complex to go into here, the factory shut its doors several years after MINI production returned to its true home.  Before this weekend, my MINI and myself had never had the chance to visit the legendary Longbridge factory.

It isn’t there anymore.

How thoroughly depressing.

Read about the history of Longbridge here.
See pictures of the deserted factory here.