WORLWIDE sales of BMW’s Cowley-built Mini rose 16 per cent in February this year compared to the same month in 2009.

The 13,443 sales during the month brought the total number of Minis delivered to customers this year to 25,645 — up 18.2 per cent on the same period last year.

BMW sales and marketing director Ian Robertson said: “Over the next few years the Mini product family will grow from three to six members.” He said the fourth model, the new Mini Countryman, would “play an important part in the brand’s long-term growth”.

BMW’s overall sales rose 14 per cent in February over the same month last year, with the year-to-date figure up 15.3 per cent to 173,911.

Last February marked a low point for the plant, with 850 agency workers losing their jobs. Since then, many have been re-employed. The Oxford workforce is now 3,700, compared with 4,200 a year ago.

l In the UK, 973 Cowley-built Minis were sold in February – a 13 per cent rise on the same month last year.