I read on another website that MINI's had a Chrysler block but the rest of the parts were BMW. Is this correct? Thanks for your help.

 

Welcome mini_girl to MCO.

I believe it is a chrysler block...yuck!

Here is a link to a bunch of MCS engine info:
LINK to english version (no pictures)

LINK to German version with pictures and tables :smile:

 

The Pentagon Motor in the MINI was jointly developed by Chrysler and Mercedes before the Mercedes buy out of Chrysler. It is not a Chrylser "block" it is like many advanced motors today a joint venture combining engineering expertise from many different firms.

The motor that went in the Ford Taurus SHO is a similar venture. The motor was designed with the help of Yamaha for Ford.

Don't worry about the Chrysler help just look at the new Dodge Neon SRT-4 that puts 223 HP to the front wheels.

This car also just one Spor Compact Car's Car of the year award. I still think the front of the thing is butt ugly though.

http://www.sportcompactcarweb.com

 

mini_girl: welcome to MCO! :smile: Nice screenname. Actually I'm a little surprised it was still available with nearly 5000 members on the site.

It's a little funny to me that BMW kept MINI, but the MINI gets the Pentagon engine, while at the same time BMW sold Land Rover and the new Range Rover has a BMW V8 engine in it.

_________________

 

In todays world it truely is a world car
Look at the parts content origin lable on all cars built today

 

I don't have any problem with the country of origin for the assembly (of the car or the engine).

I believe most of the desire for a BMW engine would be to have BMW engineering/technology like the Double-VANOS variable valve timing. But as I said above, I'm happy with the current engine given the pricing of the car.

 

I think the problem was BMW did'nt have a tried and true engine of their own to put into the Mini. In the case of the Land Rover they had one. The way I see it, the Mini was in developement for a whole three years and I'm sure the Mini engine thats in it now was tested to BMW satisfaction.

 

Bmuelle: for the U.S. market BMW doesn't have 4 cyclinder engines, but in the european market you can get a 320i (although I'm not sure if it has the VANOS valve timing). Also, I have no idea if the packaging would have permitted the use of that engine in the MINI, my guess is that it wouldn't given how compact the engine compartment in the MINI is. So you're probably on to something there with BMW not having an appropriate 4 cylinder enginer of it's own for the MINI.

I am curious to see how the new BMW 1-series engines are.

 

And a small package it is. Now, I did read somewhere that BMW/Mini is working with Citroen to develope a new engine for the new generation of the Mini. Unable to recall where I read that.

 

>>And a small package it is. Now, I did read somewhere that BMW/Mini is working with Citroen to develope a new engine for the new generation of the Mini. Unable to recall where I read that.

I have heard the same thing but with no real time frame attached. The pentagon motor has a contract to 2007 right?

 

>>>>And a small package it is. Now, I did read somewhere that BMW/Mini is working with Citroen to develope a new engine for the new generation of the Mini. Unable to recall where I read that.
>>
>>I have heard the same thing but with no real time frame attached. The pentagon motor has a contract to 2007 right?


I have no idea.

 

Wow! Thanks for all the responses and all of the great information. Looking forward to learing more from you all.

 

>>Don't worry about the Chrysler help just look at the new Dodge Neon SRT-4 that puts
223 HP to the front wheels.

Also look at the 88% below average relibility rating of the Neon and hope the MINI's better.
The 1.6 "Pentagon" non-supercharged engine is also used in Euro neons and pt-losers as the base engine. Oh well. Still's lots of fun in a MINI.

 

Would have felt better is BMW had a "joint venture with Honda,,a S2000 Vtech,,with Honda bulletproof reliabity..

 

>> I think the problem was BMW did'nt have a tried and true engine of their own to put into the Mini. In the case of the Land Rover they had one. The way I see it, the Mini was in developement for a whole three years and I'm sure the Mini engine thats in it now was tested to BMW satisfaction.


The truth is all about production cost and speed... The Factory Owned By Daimler/Chrysler effectivly put out multiple high end functioning motors that were built to the BMW engineering specs... so to say the engine is Chrysler is a stretch by any means. I've heard uninformed people berate the MINI only because they BELIEVED the rumors that it had a NEON motor. Far from the fact. It's Chrysler only by factory, not by engineering.

 

>>>>Don't worry about the Chrysler help just look at the new Dodge Neon SRT-4 that puts
>>223 HP to the front wheels.
>>
>>Also look at the 88% below average relibility rating of the Neon and hope the MINI's better.
>>The 1.6 "Pentagon" non-supercharged engine is also used in Euro neons and pt-losers as the base engine. Oh well. Still's lots of fun in a MINI.
>>
Vince,
Blasphemy....knocking Chrysler......OK.... but the engines? Come on.
BTW research recalls on BMWs and Neons post 1996 and I think
you'll be amazed how many problems BMWs have and how few the
Neon does. Actually when I did, I found multiple recalls on every BMW
and zip on the Neons. I got a Neon when I was racing at Lime Rock
(Skip Barber Dodge) and beat hell(seriously) out of it and it never missed a beat.
The engine is bullet proof as far as I am concerned. I have had far more
problems with the Mini than that Neon I literally tortured. That 88% number
has to come from Consumer Reports....the least informed car magazine
on this planet.

 

Chrysler engines are bulletproof... go drive a Jeep Wrangler with the 2.5L four banger sometime, its like a Model A Ford... now, their Automatic transmissions are another story, but I've only heard bad things about those in minivans, and who the heck cares about minivans? Wastes of time and money. Hehhehheh. That prolly pissed some people off.

 

>>Would have felt better is BMW had a "joint venture with Honda,,a S2000 Vtech,,with Honda bulletproof reliabity..

ok, to start with, Chrysler and BMW started the joint-thing before Chrysler got taken over by Daimler ( if Benz was involved, BMW would have backed out); the next joint venture is with peugeot (not Citroen, but hey it's all one big happy family ...); John Cooper said in no uncertain terms that he would never Cooperize a Honda.

having said all that, the bottom line here is that BMW has their hand in it - they are not just "buying" someone else's off the shelf package; the fact that they are overseeing the Plant in Brazil and will have their thumb on whatever and where-ever the next motor is, should be a comfort to us all - even if they decide to build motors with MG-Rover again ...

 

>>The Pentagon Motor in the MINI was jointly developed by Chrysler and Mercedes before the Mercedes buy out of Chrysler. It is not a Chrylser "block" it is like many advanced motors today a joint venture combining engineering expertise from many different firms.
>>
>>The motor that went in the Ford Taurus SHO is a similar venture. The motor was designed with the help of Yamaha for Ford.
>>
>>Don't worry about the Chrysler help just look at the new Dodge Neon SRT-4 that puts 223 HP to the front wheels.
>>
>>This car also just one Spor Compact Car's Car of the year award. I still think the front of the thing is butt ugly though.
>>
>>http://www.sportcompactcarweb.com

That dodge is still a dodge no matter how fast it is, and if and when I get the Cooper Works upgrade I would be more than happy to open up a can of whoop *** on it!!!

 

>>Bmuelle: for the U.S. market BMW doesn't have 4 cyclinder engines, but in the european market you can get a 320i (although I'm not sure if it has the VANOS valve timing). Also, I have no idea if the packaging would have permitted the use of that engine in the MINI, my guess is that it wouldn't given how compact the engine compartment in the MINI is. So you're probably on to something there with BMW not having an appropriate 4 cylinder enginer of it's own for the MINI.
>>
>>I am curious to see how the new BMW 1-series engines are.

Dave you beat me to it. I'd also add that even if the BMW 4 cylinder motor would fit, it would be very costly to certify it for U.S. emissions.

 

Your right 2minis, the 88% did come from Consumer Reports, and is several years old too. I just remembered the 88% from back in 96 when I had an Escort GT. I remember being proud cause the Escort's reliability was slightly above the Neon's. :smile: I also remember, around the same time, that BMW was #1 on the FL lemon law list. Good thing the MCS is so much fun. I plan to drive the hell out of it and not worry about longevity or reliability.