R50/53 Who would buy a MINI ONE D if avalable
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5th Gear
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From: Grasonville, MD
Who would buy a MINI ONE D if avalable
I can't see why BMW is balking at configuring a diesel MINI for the US market. Other manufactures are making this work. As an owner of a 2000 VW NB TDI I can't complain about my 700 mile tanks with diesel selling for about 3 cents more then regular. I just looked up the specs on the current MINI ONE D sold in the UK they list it at 58.9 MPG top speed of 109 and 0-62 in 11 seconds. As a current owner of a MCS and someone that has to commuter 75 miles a day I would stand in line to buy one. How can anyone turn down a car that can get over 800 miles on a fill up?
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From: PA/NJ
As a fellow TDI owner, the ONE D would be tempting... but at the moment, I'm not holding my breath...
(an excerpt from the MotoringFile interview with Jeff Stracco of MINIUSA)
(an excerpt from the MotoringFile interview with Jeff Stracco of MINIUSA)
MF: With gasoline headed towards $4 in parts of the country is there any chance that the MINI D will be coming to the US?
Stracco: We would love it. However, the problem with diesel is tailpipe emissions, particularly smog causing NOx. Unfortunately, the MINI D does not comply with emissions regulations for all 50 states. So a VERY large portion of our dealers could not sell it even if it were offered.
Cleaner diesel fuel will not solve the NOx problem because NOx is a result of high combustion temperatures and not fuel impurities. Now there are some new technologies like Bluetec which reduce NOx. Bluetec injects a urea solution in the exhaust stream and effectively scrubs NOx emissions. However, one key issue to using something like Bluetec on a MINI is space. Where are you going to put a big tank of urea solution? This is not an insurmountable problem, but it will be a while before a solution is found. Fortunately, we’ve got some of the most talented engineers on the planet, and we tend to let them worry about such things.
So for the time being we are going to concentrate on more efficient gas engines. And the next generation gas engines will be both more powerful and get better mileage.
http://motoringfile.com/2006/05/23/m...u-the-answers/
Stracco: We would love it. However, the problem with diesel is tailpipe emissions, particularly smog causing NOx. Unfortunately, the MINI D does not comply with emissions regulations for all 50 states. So a VERY large portion of our dealers could not sell it even if it were offered.
Cleaner diesel fuel will not solve the NOx problem because NOx is a result of high combustion temperatures and not fuel impurities. Now there are some new technologies like Bluetec which reduce NOx. Bluetec injects a urea solution in the exhaust stream and effectively scrubs NOx emissions. However, one key issue to using something like Bluetec on a MINI is space. Where are you going to put a big tank of urea solution? This is not an insurmountable problem, but it will be a while before a solution is found. Fortunately, we’ve got some of the most talented engineers on the planet, and we tend to let them worry about such things.
So for the time being we are going to concentrate on more efficient gas engines. And the next generation gas engines will be both more powerful and get better mileage.
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From: Burning-Ham Alabama
Where are you going to put a big tank of urea solution? This is not an insurmountable problem, but it will be a while before a solution is found.
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5th Gear
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From: Grasonville, MD
I have read this before and consider it VERY LAME. I can't see how Daimler Chrysler and VW can make it work but BMW can't, LAME,LAME, LAME
Originally Posted by IanF
As a fellow TDI owner, the ONE D would be tempting... but at the moment, I'm not holding my breath...
(an excerpt from the MotoringFile interview with Jeff Stracco of MINIUSA)
(an excerpt from the MotoringFile interview with Jeff Stracco of MINIUSA)
MF: With gasoline headed towards $4 in parts of the country is there any chance that the MINI D will be coming to the US?
Stracco: We would love it. However, the problem with diesel is tailpipe emissions, particularly smog causing NOx. Unfortunately, the MINI D does not comply with emissions regulations for all 50 states. So a VERY large portion of our dealers could not sell it even if it were offered.
Cleaner diesel fuel will not solve the NOx problem because NOx is a result of high combustion temperatures and not fuel impurities. Now there are some new technologies like Bluetec which reduce NOx. Bluetec injects a urea solution in the exhaust stream and effectively scrubs NOx emissions. However, one key issue to using something like Bluetec on a MINI is space. Where are you going to put a big tank of urea solution? This is not an insurmountable problem, but it will be a while before a solution is found. Fortunately, we’ve got some of the most talented engineers on the planet, and we tend to let them worry about such things.
So for the time being we are going to concentrate on more efficient gas engines. And the next generation gas engines will be both more powerful and get better mileage.
http://motoringfile.com/2006/05/23/m...u-the-answers/Stracco: We would love it. However, the problem with diesel is tailpipe emissions, particularly smog causing NOx. Unfortunately, the MINI D does not comply with emissions regulations for all 50 states. So a VERY large portion of our dealers could not sell it even if it were offered.
Cleaner diesel fuel will not solve the NOx problem because NOx is a result of high combustion temperatures and not fuel impurities. Now there are some new technologies like Bluetec which reduce NOx. Bluetec injects a urea solution in the exhaust stream and effectively scrubs NOx emissions. However, one key issue to using something like Bluetec on a MINI is space. Where are you going to put a big tank of urea solution? This is not an insurmountable problem, but it will be a while before a solution is found. Fortunately, we’ve got some of the most talented engineers on the planet, and we tend to let them worry about such things.
So for the time being we are going to concentrate on more efficient gas engines. And the next generation gas engines will be both more powerful and get better mileage.
6th Gear
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From: PA/NJ
Originally Posted by jibeho
I have read this before and consider it VERY LAME. I can't see how Daimler Chrysler and VW can make it work but BMW can't, LAME,LAME, LAME
Then there's the matter of economics. Certifying car/engine combos in the US is not cheap, so you need to sell a lot of them and/or at a premium price for it to pay for the additional engineering and certification expense.
To add further bleakness to the picture... I've read that many European countries have laws on the table for tightening NOX emissions. This may put a hurting on diesels in general. Even VW is starting to look at other options - re: the Golf GT with it's twin-charged 1.4L that gets 38mpg. I'd love to see an engine like that in an even lighter car like the MINI.
Look, I'm with you. I love having a car that can carry 2x as much as my g/f's MCS and get's 50% better fuel mileage. However, I'd love to have a MINI and be able to give up some space but have a lot more fun during my 100 daily commute. But I can also see how the engineering and economic issues make the One D a tough car to sell in the US.
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5th Gear
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From: Grasonville, MD
I'm no rocket scientist, but I can't seem to be able to buy the notion that a 9MPG SRT10 is better on the environment then a 60MPG MINI.
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4th Gear
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From: Festus, MO
I have brought this up in other threads and the general answer was the type of diesel fuel sold in the US is different then in Europe so BMW was not looking to bring the MINI One D into the US. I makes sense form a fuel consumption perspective and I would get one if it were available.
6th Gear
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From: Northeast Ohio
Originally Posted by krenzkes
I have brought this up in other threads and the general answer was the type of diesel fuel sold in the US is different then in Europe so BMW was not looking to bring the MINI One D into the US. I makes sense form a fuel consumption perspective and I would get one if it were available.
6th Gear
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From: PA/NJ
Originally Posted by jibeho
I'm no rocket scientist, but I can't seem to be able to buy the notion that a 9MPG SRT10 is better on the environment then a 60MPG MINI.
Only problem I have with diesel, and this applies to all diesels, is that it is a carcinogenic, more so than other forms of fuel.
I worked in the railroad for a few years, and there was quite a high incidence of cancer among employees that worked with or around the locomotives.
http://www.afscme.org/health/faq-dies.htm
I worked in the railroad for a few years, and there was quite a high incidence of cancer among employees that worked with or around the locomotives.
http://www.afscme.org/health/faq-dies.htm
6th Gear
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From: Everett, WA
One of my co-workers balked at the price of the MC and MCS compared to regular commuters cars, which is fine because he's not an enthusiast (nor was I until I got it, but anyways...), but he said he'd buy a diesel one if they made it.
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From: Port Hope, ON
I owned a number of diesel VW over the years and loved the gas (diesel?) mileage, but found them dull. Though I am not commuting anymore (I work from home) I used to drive 200km per day, and having that efficient diesel powerplant would have been great. So if the MINI One D is out how about offering the MINI One (gas version, base model) over here. It would be lighter (not as many options) and be cheaper. I've asked MINI.ca and haven't got a response, but an entry level MINI (one) would be great starting at $15k Canadian, sign me up.
4th Gear
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From: Seattle
Well if they cut out the back and made it a MINI Truck they'd be essentially exempt. Trucks and SUVs have very weak emission requirements. Cars are regulated by cargo and passenger capacity and truck by how much weight they can haul.
The MINI is probably in the top 5 for stringent emission controls and it's only getting tighter. Perhaps the '08 Traveler will have enough cargo capacity to allow a diesel.
So you can go get a caffe latte in your 5.6 liter diesel RAM 3500 but not a 1.4 liter diesel MINI.
Oh, I'd be all over a MINI One D.
The MINI is probably in the top 5 for stringent emission controls and it's only getting tighter. Perhaps the '08 Traveler will have enough cargo capacity to allow a diesel.
So you can go get a caffe latte in your 5.6 liter diesel RAM 3500 but not a 1.4 liter diesel MINI.
Oh, I'd be all over a MINI One D.
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5th Gear
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From: Grasonville, MD
Originally Posted by gromit801
Only problem I have with diesel, and this applies to all diesels, is that it is a carcinogenic, more so than other forms of fuel.
I worked in the railroad for a few years, and there was quite a high incidence of cancer among employees that worked with or around the locomotives.
http://www.afscme.org/health/faq-dies.htm
I worked in the railroad for a few years, and there was quite a high incidence of cancer among employees that worked with or around the locomotives.
http://www.afscme.org/health/faq-dies.htm
Dude everything in California is a carcinogenic
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5th Gear
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From: Grasonville, MD
Originally Posted by Wagnbat
One of my co-workers balked at the price of the MC and MCS compared to regular commuters cars, which is fine because he's not an enthusiast (nor was I until I got it, but anyways...), but he said he'd buy a diesel one if they made it.
. I just think a 2007 MINI D would be more fun to drive then the TDI NB
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5th Gear
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From: Grasonville, MD
Originally Posted by gromit801
Can't understand why you think cancer is funny. Guess you've never had a loved one suffer from it.
What I think is funny is the sticker they put on my buddies care stating that "vehicle exhaust contain chemicals that can cause cancer in the state of California"
, MINI One D is not available