· MINI to sponsor Great British Entrepreneur Awards (19 November)
· New MINI 5-Door Hatch is ideally suited to UK’s corporate market
· £750m investment highlights BMW Group’s commitment to British automotive manufacturing

More information: www.mini.co.uk

With the recent launch of the New MINI 5-Door Hatch, Britain’s favourite car brand now has the perfect vehicle for the corporate market. And to celebrate that fact, MINI has announced it is to sponsor the Great British Entrepreneur Awards (GBEAs).

MINI will showcase the new MINI 5-Door Hatch at the awards ceremony, which takes place in London’s Old Billingsgate on 19 November. The new model is highly efficient and offers unbeatable residual value, making it the ideal candidate for a new fleet or corporate car.

The extra practicality of the new MINI 5-Door Hatch represents a strong opportunity for MINI to expand its presence in the important corporate sector, as many fleet lists preclude vehicles with only three doors. The brand’s strong position in terms of BIK, RV and whole life cost – coupled with the appeal of MINI to end-users – means sustainable growth is possible. This will come through large fleets with direct sales agreements; small fleets using the MINI Business Partnership Programme, and leasing.

Between 2012 and 2015, the BMW Group will have invested £750 million across its three UK manufacturing facilities as part of its continued commitment to the British automotive manufacturing industry.

As premium partner of the 2014 GBEAs, MINI sponsors the award for Fashion Entrepreneur of the Year. James Morrison, Corporate Development Manager at MINI, will present the award to the winner on the night. He said: “As we introduce the MINI 5-Door Hatch, it’s clear that we have a model primed for success in the corporate market.”

“The new MINI 5-Door Hatch offers low C02 emissions and attractive BIK rates, as well as class-leading residual values, making it the best MINI yet for business.”

The Great British Entrepreneur Awards were introduced in 2013 to celebrate entrepreneurs who embody a spirit of disruption, innovation and enterprise. The 2014 Awards will recognise business leaders from multiple industries across 20 award categories.

Ends
Notes to editors
MINI has won BusinessCar magazine’s Supermini of the Year award for 12 consecutive years.

The BMW Group
With its three brands BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 30 production and assembly facilities in 14 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.

In 2013, the BMW Group sold approximately 1.963 million cars and 115,215 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for the financial year 2013 was € 7.91 billion on revenues amounting to approximately € 76.06 billion. As of 31 December 2013, the BMW Group had a workforce of 110,351 employees.

The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy.