Petrolhead follows dad into car industry and now has dream job test driving Minis

A car fanatic who followed her dad into the auto industry has told how she has landed her dream job test driving Minis every day. Driven Charlotte Robinson, 31, works with her dad Nigel, 51, at the firm's Oxford plant.

And the petrolhead pair drive relatives mad with by talking about motors at family gatherings. Charlotte, who is seen in baby pictures playing with her toy car, said she has always been obsessed with the classic compact car since she was a child being driven around in her mum's Mini.

Now in her job as specialist product auditor, she is responsible for checking new motors work as they should off the production line.

She said: "My job is I essentially take the car for a day spend the day making sure the car is perfect. I've always absolutely loved Mini, so being able to be work with new Minis every day is a dream. It's amazing, it never gets old. It's something to be really proud off.

"My mum's first car was a mini called Dennis. She had a mini as I grew up and I learnt to drive in a Mini. They're really fun to drive and I've always loved them.

"When we first got electric windows, my dad used to say it was voice activated and he would get me to say 'windows down' and wind it down with his hand without me seeing.

"But now voice assisted windows is a real thing and it's part of my job to test it out. It really has come full circle."

Charlotte started working at the Oxford plant this year celebrating its 25th year in operation during a year out from her business studies at university in 2015. But she fell in love with the job and never looked back.

Dad Nigel, who began his career in car manufacturing in 1998, joined Mini in 2003 and works as a group leader in the paint shop.

Charlotte added: "I've always taken after dad and wanted to do what he did. I have always absolutely loved talking about cars with him, it was something that I grew up with. It's a really nice place to work, it just fell into place."

Nigel, of Bomsgrove, said: "I'm very proud of her. When she came into the industry, she was an agency associate, she's worked her way up herself. She's done a number of different jobs in assembly and then moved on to the job she's now doing. It's a really nice role.

"We have a really good bond. We talk about cars all the time and we get told off outside of work. We drive people mad. We'll be at a family gathering and people will get fed up of us talking about cars and parts."

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