There's the diesel in europe for the current gen, is there any plan for continuing a diesel engine for the new model?

I'm curious, because a turbo-diesel MINI with a modded turbo would be one sweet ride...

 

That would be nice. I have a 2000 TDI NB with 140,000 miles. I still get 45 MPG with good pickup.

I doubt MINI will introduce the diesel in the US because it would be VERBOTEN in the Peoples Republik of California.

 

That would be kinda cool, try putting a veggie oil conversion in it

Diesels are OK I guess, although they'd have to change the gearing BIGtime. should be plenty of power and great gas mileage. Anyone got info?

There's only one thing I don't like about diesels...
*crank-crank-crank-crank crank... sputter...* Then... Massey Ferguson

 

MotoringFile: Next Generation MINI Diesel Revealed? (3.28.05)

 

would be awesome to have the diesel

 

Kudos to Gabe for always bringing in the official word.

 

but in 2008 (I think), the US is going to switch to low sulpher diesel, then all those cool European diesels have the potential to come over here. Could have been sooner, but than long-haul trucking for keeping the dirty diesel around longer....

The sulpher poisens the cats, and creates too much SO2....

Matt

But what really sucks is that I didn't real anything about the torque figures. Diesels are notoriously low on HP, but very high on torque...

 

I would get a TD if it came out, and probably do the veggie oil conversion on it - that would be AWESOME!!!

 

and the transition is happening now. Refineries have to be at 15 ppm sulpher by June 1st, and the flush out of the delivery network should be complete by early Oct. Next year, ULSD should be available at all diesel filling stations in the US and Canada....

Why is this important? Turns out sulpher when passed through an oxidizing catalyst INCREASES particulate emissions. So when there's no sulpher, the particulates go down, and the newer emissions systems for diesel will last longer and work better. This is important because emissions systems have to carry a 100k mile warranty... So if they won't last, the car manufacturers won't sell them

Some other stuff I learned is that in CA alone, 300k barrels of oil a day reduction in consumption could be achieved. This is about 1/3rd of what ANWR could supply if tapped, so the potential for deisel is very, very large in the US.

Anyway, I hope that we get our crap together on this one. Stump pulling torque, and better overall energy efficiency would be bitchen!


Matt

 

Agreed. A chipped turbo-(bio)diesel MINI would be the S***

EDIT: and i just managed to repeat my first post... awesome

 

I thought I was set on a MC but now want to get a MCS. A turbo diesel would be sooo sweet and be a good balance of fuel economy and performance for me. If I do pick up a used MINI, it would promply get traded in for a MC D, we can only hope.

Hybrids are not the answer just a bandaid to a bigger problem. Biodiesel turbines to harvest the crops to make biodiesel fuel to power our biodiesel MINIs would be a happy USA.

Hmm wish they could squeeze that Audi R10 V12 in a Mini.

 

Yeah, diesels will never give you more of a kick than a comparable gas engine. The advantage is that you have torque throughout the entire rev range; you have more of a torque "line" than a torque "curve."

 

If you have twice the torque for half the RPMs, then you just change the final drive ratio and have the same performance. Diesel engines are just more energy efficient....

Matt

 

http://money.cnn.com/2006/02/14/Auto...acer/index.htm

 

Gas engines usually have more max horsepower than Diesel engines.

They're more energy efficient, but they don't rev as high.

Like I said: The advantage of diesels is that they make a consistent amount of torque across the rev range, they don't really make that much torque at one time, so gas engines will give you a bigger maximum kick when you accelerate (taking gearing into account of course).

 

And time will tell. There's the Audi, that will be competitive, and get better gas milage. There are two performance Mercedes high end cars. Sure they only have a bit less than 300 HP, but they have over 450 ft-lbs of torque! They burn rubber, and get good gas milage.

Just because deisels haven't emphasized the performance end, doesn't mean they can't. There's a lot of technology that's coming to fruition now, that will really "turn on" the performacne deisel. Until now, in the US at least, deisels were used mostly in pickup trucks and long haul items (like locomotives and 18 wheelers) that don't have the same emissions requirements. Now that the particulate and other emissions systems are coming around, and the fueling at high pressure (Better, cleaner burn), then there will be nothing stopping the optimization of oil- burners for performance.

Up till now, there wasn't any reason to.

Matt

 

Yeah, I wouldn't mind having a diesel at all.

 

I am SO buying a diesel MINI if it becomes available here.

 

I can see it now. If not turbo from the factory,,, Aftermarket. Then a programable chip,,, Propane Injection,,, NOS injection!!! MONSTER tork!

 

I was getting a new key programmed..... Anyway, they have no clue if the new diesel will come over. But then I didn't expect them to have any inside news.....

But a little TD mini might be quite the ride!

Matt

 

Something to ponder... Compare how a deisel works compared to a gas motor.. high compression, direct cylinder injection. They have high torque at low rpm. Then look at the new mini motor: higher compression, direct cylinder injection. I wouldn't count on it and I'm not a deisel expert by any means, but i wouldn't be suprised if the new mini motor would be capable of running duel fuels with a bit of tweaking.

 

It doesn't really work like that. Diesels produce a lot of torque at certain rpms, so the engine has to be really strong. Being strong means more weight. And more weight means the engine can't rev as high as a gas engine, which means less horsepower.

 

and will be different than the Gas motor.... While both have direct injection, they are really, realy different set ups.

Matt

 

I disagree...I have '97 Passat TDI...1.9 liters...power chip...now it has 200 pounds of torque (OEM was 145)...my mechanic, who works on a lot of Passats, says it's the fastest Passat he's ever driven, gas or diesel.

I installed a Greascar veggie oil kit:

http://www.greasecar.com

I get 42-44 mpg's (driving agressively), and it's FAST...tons of torque...and I burn used veggie oil for 50 cents/gallon.

Diesel engines can be GREAT.

 

Hmmmm...I disagree...diesels have a LOT of torque, and torque = acceleration.

A gas engine may have a narrow band of more torque than a diesel, but that means it's a poorly designed gas engine...and in any case, if you compare to engines of equal displacement, I think think the turbo-diesel engine will out accelerate the gas engine every time, AND get 30% better mpg's.