MINI Cooper D Coming to the US After-all?

Sections: Diesel | Efficiency Nov 24th, 2008 20 Comments

From Autoblog Green, who got the chance to talk to Jim McDowell last week at the LA Auto Show and heard first hand a few of the rumors we’ve been reporting over the past year. Here’s an excerpt:

Basically, things have changed. In July, the MINI factory in Oxford England was running full tilt to keep up with demand. Since then, the collapse of the financial markets has meant a drop in sales, including MINI sales, across the board and around the world. That means more supply is now available than demand and we could get more MINIs in America if needed. The other issue is the technical one about US certification. That, too, is being addressed. According to McDowell, BMW is working on a Tier 2 Bin 5 compliant version of the MINI D engine. Instead of urea injection for NOx reduction, this would use a lean NOx trap like the Jetta TDI. While McDowell wouldn’t commit to a time-frame, it looks like we may get the MINI D sooner rather than later.

Originally our sources told us to expect the first MINI diesel in the US to come in the form of the Crossover (R60). However with all the above falling into place we could very well see the current MINI Cooper D in the US as soon as 2010 or 2011.

[ MINI Cooper D could arrive in America sooner than we thought ] Autobloggreen.com

Written By: DB

rs

Here in PA, yesterday my wife just spent under 2 dollars a gallon ($1.98) something last seen in 2005. I hope MINI take the time during the lull in the storm and really push these cars through so they can be poised when the fuel tightens once again.
Mk1

With the new Gov’t plan to make half of all federal new car purchases all-electric or plug-in hybrids by 2012, to push the technology, and Calif going to mandate a large percentage of zero emission vehicles by then. I think this boat has sailed. 5 years too late, MINI/BMW, as always. And the upcoming Govt. bail-out money for the Big 3 will accelerate the process – very heavy “green” mandates with a short-time-frame implementation window will definitely be a requirement for the funding.
lavardera

no, the boat has not sailed. The gas and electricity going into plug in hybrids still has to come from somewhere. The ramp up to utility scale solar is going to take much longer than small bio diesel refining and the diesel powerplant has a great future.

BMW certifying this engine makes a lot of sense if we are going to see them using it in the 1 series as well as the R60 and X1.
Jared

A Mini Cooper D would get my money over an Audi A3 TDI or Golf/Jetta TDI. Bring it!
Mk1

(Grin) not sure about that. If my choice is an electric hybrid that I use for commuting 50 miles per day that gets the equivalent of 250 miles per gallon for that range (CNN Money’s estimate of EPA ratings for the Volt) vs a TDI type diesel that gets 40 mpg (VW TDI EPA)…..
C4

This is very good news indeed. Gas prices are projected to skyrocket again in the spring, so enjoy your sub $2 per gallon fill ups while they last.
mike c.

DB, you must be smiling and crossing your fingers hoping Roxy will last a couple of more years.
C4

The financial slowdown is making auto makers re-think their strategies. Thanks to this mess, MINI will no longer drag their feet in getting the diesel here.
Shamus

When gas prices were high, the cost of Diesel was through the roof. I love the idea of the Diesel MINI, but I question the benefit over the stock 1.6l with the inevitable 2k premium plus added cost per tank. Does anyone know the time threshold where the cost benefits catch up with the stock gas engine? ie. How many years before the tech pays for itself?
Ian F

Shamus, it depends somewhat on what the final mpg for the MINI D turn out to be, after the emissions-mods are done.

By my rough calculations, it’ll be a long time: 15K/50mpg = 300 gal * $2.65 (price I’m paying for D2 right now) = $795/year. Using 40 mpg for a MC and $2/gal for gas, it comes out to $750/year.

Of course, my MPG numbers are guesses, but you can’t use the Euro mpg numbers, since we’re talking about an engine still under developement. Hopefully, the final numbers will be better, but even then it looks like a wash at best.

When I bought my TDI back in ’03, I was looking at a 70K mile payback period. This period was shortened significantly after Katrina when gas prices sky-rocketed, but diesel didn’t go up as much. I think my car almost paid for itself that year until prices stabilized.

This is a common discussion on the TDI forums. If you’re buying a diesel to save money, you are likely to be disappointed. Many TDI owners have found this out the hard way.
Mk1

Ian is right, if your looking at a huge savings going diesel, you will likely be disappointed. For example, comparing the gas Jetta against the TDI, using EPA highway rating for MPG, driving 15,000 miles per year, and using current gas/diesel prices in the Southwest (where gas has dropped quite a bit, but diesel has not) – the TDI costs +$237 a year more to operate in fuel costs right now.
C4

But you can squeeze out even more miles per gallon on a Diesel vs Turbo Gasoline engine…..Am I wrong?

By that logic you could also say that there are no real savings to be had by moving over to a Hybrid vehicle..
Mk1

C4 – your right on the money. Depending on fuel prices, hybrid break-even vs cost sings the same song… 70K plus miles to break even, if at all. They are green “save the planet” cars not “save your wallet” cars :-)

Until you get into the true alternative fuels – hydrogen/electric, there is no real significant cost savings – and that all depends on what the final cost of the technology in the car will be too.
Evan

I think that if the driving experience is fun and torquey (which it should be) and that the premium falls between a Cooper and Cooper S, then it’d be worth it for the extra mileage. The problem is diesel in the USA will stay a bit high until demand becomes high enough to drive the price down. Most gas stations charging more for premium or the like do so because demand for that grade at that station is lower.

Anyways, at present, you’d have to do a lot of mileage in one year to easily breakeven on the cost premium. The MINI already does well on gas, even the turbo. With many R56 Coopers getting around 40 without trying, the diesel would need to have a 55-60mpg average to start to make any difference in it.

I think it’d be great to bring it here. As long as it comes in the Clubman too. Plus, if they’re certifying the diesel for the R60 crossover, it’s cheaper to make that engine available in other models too… Interesting development.
Alan Smithee

I’d love to have a Cooper D, but have you seen how BMW priced the US-spec 335d? It’s $2,500 more than a 335i (and ~$8k less than an M3). Using that model, the US Cooper D would be ~$25k.

If they do it, I hope they do it right…
IE

Finally!! This is the article i hope to read every time i open up MF.
http://chuck.goolsbee.org chuck goolsbee

The math goes WAY in the favor of Diesel when you make your own fuel. My costs are about $1.10-$1.45 a gallon to make my own BioDiesel. I’ve been running Jetta TDIs for years but would LOVE to switch to something more fun like an Audi TT TDI, or a MINI-D.

Bring it please!

–chuck
Aaron

This is great news. More engine/model choices for US consumers = good news for the brand.
http://MotoringFile JoAnna Rollings

Mini first predicted the Diesel Mini would come to the US before the convertible. But instead our American Auto Manufacturers get several $25, $35billion bailouts….
I was ready to buy the first Diesel Mini and run biodiesel. It is good for the planet. I will still stand in line to prepay for a Mini D.
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