BMW says it can shift production to Europe if Brexit results in no deal

FRANKFURT: BMW’s Chief Executive on Thursday said the German carmaker can move more production of its Mini to a plant in the Netherlands if Britain fails to strike a trade deal with the European Union after its exit from the common market.

“We are very flexible and we could adjust volumes at Oxford and at Nedcar in the Netherlands,” Harald Krueger told analysts in a call to discuss the company’s second-quarter results.

BMW said contract manufacturer VDL Nedcar had produced 211,660 cars in the Netherlands last year, a 39% increase in production, assembling the BMW X1 the Mini hatch, Mini convertible and Mini countryman models.

By contrast, Oxford made 234,501 Mini vehicles last year.

VDL Nedcar employs around 6,000 workers working in car assembly, compared with just over 4,500 people building Mini’s in Oxford.