Over 4,000 employees who are members of the Unite union at five locations, including the Mini plant in Oxford and Rolls-Royce facility in Goodwood, were asked whether they wanted to take industrial action.

Unite said turnout was 75 percent and 96 percent had voted in favour.

"Unite will now be making arrangements to move to a full statutory industrial action ballot which, given the strength of feeling, could result in industrial action in the coming months," it said in a statement.

BMW wants to close its two final salary pension schemes from June next year and move all staff to a less generous scheme which new starters have been part of since 2014.

(Reporting by Costas Pitas; editing by Stephen Addison)