Oil prices are again on the rise. Gas prices are following suit.
As MINI owners, we are already doing our part to help. Some of us more than others. We get better fuel economy than many other cars on the road. We take up less space. We burn clean to keep the Air Quality Control People happy. A good chunk of us even use public transportation when we can!
We know that MINI has a hot new Diesel, that won’t be coming to the US, no matter how much we ask. Of course, it doesn’t help to know that they might get it in Canada.
So, where does that leave you, the MINI owner wanting to go a little bit greener and still keep it MINI?
You could always sell your ’02 – ’06 R50/R53 and move into an R56. The MC and MCS get better mileage and are both cleaner burning compared to their R50/R53 counterparts, even without the cool technology we won’t be geting in the US. Or, you could contact Hybrid Technologies and have them build you a Hybrid MINI. It will only set you back about US$59K. There is Calstart.org too, which is a great resource for alternative fuel conversions. Of course, none of these are from-the-factory-with-warranty options.
I know that there are more than a few of you out there that feel quite strongly about this after reading comments in a few posts. So, lets put it to you.
What would you like to see to keep it green and, of course, keep it MINI?
This is a bit like asking an SUV forum what they’d like from better fuel economy.
Fast acceleration does NOT equal high fuel economy – MINI has done their best to improve economy with the R56, but if you drive it like you should drive a MINI, you’re not saving gas!
I drive my MINIs easily, often – I can get around 30mpg on GPMINI without trying; but I see many MINI owners struggling to get 20mpg – not because of the cars fault, but because of the driving style.
No criticism on drivers – that’s just how it is when you accelerate (and brake) quickly 🙂
Still would love to see Mini develop a greener version that could be brought into the US. I believe that there is a much greater market for a greener Mini rather than a SUV mini.
to see them working on a hydrogen fuel car would make me happy. i know it isn’t viable yet but it will be soon since it become cheaper to produce hydrogen, i really believe this is going to be the way to go soon. how can go wrong with the only thing coming out the exhuast is water
Fast acceleration does not automatically equal poor mileage. I drive my MCSCa pretty hard, and still get almost 30 MPG. My wife drives a Nissan Altima Hybrid. It’s a lot larger than my MINI, but will still press you back in your seat while still getting 36-38 MPG.
I had a 2000 VW TDI Jetta. It was plenty quick, and got 43-45 MPG.
I don’t drive my vehicles right to the razor’s edge, but I also do NOT drive gently. There is much improvement to be had in the area of MPG vs. power.
I’ll keep asking – Bring the diesel over.
I won’t trade in my ’06 MCSc for a percentage increase on a gas-burning engine. But I would for diesel.
Spot on, Ian. If I drive my MCS like an old lady, I can get 29 mpg in town, but my average is more like 21-23 mpg. Likewise on the highway, my Cooper S will push 40 mpg if I keep it at or under 60 mph. The MINI, especially the R56, is already more efficient than most cars out there by sheer virtue of weight and engine displacement. And I’d wager that the MINI has a wider range of fuel consumption too, depending on how hard you put your foot down. In any car, how we drive makes a HUGE difference on how much petrol we’re buying week to week, so the responsibility comes back on us drivers.
As for MINI developing a greener Cooper, they already have, and astoundingly so, in the Cooper D. Too bad economics and sodding California are preventing its incarnation in the states. But the R56, even in Cooper S trim, already beats the 35 mpg standard being lobbied for in congress right now. That puts MINI squarely ahead of the curve in my opinion. Getting any more “green” aggressive just doesn’t seem economically viable for MINI given their narrow margins as it is. A small company like MINI simply can’t afford to be on the bleeding edge until infrastructure and technology catch up a bit – at least not without completely changing what MINI is about. Economy is only one part of the MINI equation after all.
My commute is less than a mile, so there’s a <a href="http://www.genuinescooters.com/" rel="nofollow">Scooter</a> in my future. Nothing like 100 mpg to ease the gas crunch.
MINI is more than capable to offer the Dooper in the United States, but the beancounters are the ones holding them back. If VW offers diesels and eventually Honda, MINI certainly can do as well.
It never amazes me the plethora of excuses coming out from one of the most successful auto companies in the world and the gullible audience that believes them, word for word.
-Nigel
MININUTS field commander
Will there be a chance to have a Mini that only requires Regular gas in the future?…that makes my wallet “greener”…smiling…though…with the turbo charged engine of the R56 plus the compression ratios of the engine…i dont think its gonna happened anytime soon…
Hmm…
<i>My commute is less than a mile, so there’s a Scooter in my future.</i>
Here’s a radical idea: walk. Saves on the doctor bill, too.
<blockquote>Here’s a radical idea: walk. Saves on the doctor bill, too.</blockquote>
Have been, when the weather’s good. I’m fortunate enough to live in a ‘burb where the Target etc, are about a 5 minute drive on very quiet streets, so running errands and such on a little two-wheel would be fun and economical.
Ok, hold up, how can a MCS get better mileage than a MC??! I drive pretty conservatively and I usually get anywhere between 26-28mpg in the city, so how in the world does a MCS get 29mpg in the city?!?!
I was actually torn between the 06 and 07 on this very issue, but I really dislike the 07 interior. That outweighed the ‘greener’ issue for me. I like to drive greener cars, but I’m not going to drive something I hate to sit in to get a bit more mileage…
I don’t expect mass-produced cars to be as clean or fuel efficient as I want during my lifetime. I do drive an R56 Cooper (love it!!)….and I do take a train to work, but change on this scale takes time, for better or worse.
I hope MINI uses it’s wits on this…we need real solutions both for air quality and for appropriate fuel use, not band-aids. I also think that, although MINI has thus far (rightly) targeted the performance enthusiast, there are also large numbers of would-be motorers who would love superb fuel efficiency, if only we did not have to sacrifice a car that handled properly (as a MINI does) thereby making it fun to drive. MINI is in a unique position to make both happen…should the proper opportunity present itself.
<blockquote>Ok, hold up, how can a MCS get better mileage than a MC??! I drive pretty conservatively and I usually get anywhere between 26-28mpg in the city, so how in the world does a MCS get 29mpg in the city?!?!</blockquote>
By driving in ways you really shouldn’t drive – when I said “old lady” I wasn’t kidding. Basically short-shifting the hell out of it and never letting the car get above about 2500 rpm or 35 mph, plus taking a REALLY long time getting up to that speed. I reset my onboard and drove from one end of Lincoln to the other through town just for shiggles, and the avg was 29 and change. But a trip that should have taken 20 minutes took about 35 and I was a pretty big nuisance to other people on the road, so it’s not at all a practical way to drive.
All I was getting at was that how you drive really does impact your mileage. If you’re doing jackrabbit starts and keeping in 2nd/3rd gear the whole time, your mileage will suffer. There’s a lot of efficiency to be had from almost any car by simply taking it easy.
I actually put ‘regular’ gas in my 2003 R53 MCS – well, if you can consider 90 octane gas to be regular! 🙂
It’s actually an ethanol blend, 10% ethanol, 90% gasoline. Here in the Greater Vancouver region, this particular gas company charges the price for regular gas for this blend (the only region in Canada that they do this), and being that it’s only 1 octane less than the recommended 91 octane gas, my MCS runs just fine on it.
Lower emissions, fuel economy is not affected too much (ethanol blended gas is less dense than 100% gas) – better for the environment, and less of a strain on the wallet – a win win situation!
How about thinking globally?
Clue to BMW/MINI: pollution does travel around the world…
All I ask is a turbo-diesel compatible with B100. How hard is that? Seriously.
MillieTheMini, most gas in the US already contains a 10% ethanol blend, mostly for emissions. It’s not harmful at those levels to engines. I’d like to see every gasoline powered vehicle sold in the US be flex-fuel capable, able to run off of mixtures of up to 85% ethanol, mostly so that we more easily have the option of not relying on foriegn oil if we so choose. The added power that can come from running 106 octane E85 is a more selfish motive behind this.
I really wish MINI would sell the Cooper Diesel stateside and am holding out hope that their other green technologies make it here as well. I understand the US is a unique market with unique needs and demands but building a “green” company image, on top of one that builds stylish, fun small cars wouldn’t hurt. If MINI sold the Diesel and other fuel saving options here they could probably lay claim to having one of the highest CAFE rating of any company.
To be honest, I am not that concerned about getting slight increases in mini fuel efficiency (although I would love to have a D).
I think the bigger potential for improvement is getting people out of cars that get 15-18 mpg and into cars that get 25-30. Think about this… making the switch from 16 mpg to 24 mpg saves the same amount of gas as switching from 24 mpg to 48 mpg.
<blockquote>What would you like to see to keep it green and, of course, keep it MINI?</blockquote>
Something analogous to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forward_air_control" rel="nofollow">Forward Air Control</a>, but converse, to guide me through traffic with help from spotters above.
And three cheers for the congestion charge.
<em>I understand the US is a unique market with unique needs and demands…</em>
Read: The US has abnormally low gas and energy prices that allow for marketing that doesn’t require green consideration.
I’ve been carpooling all summer and have been taking more pleasure-bike-rides than pleasure-drives of late. I’ve also been drafting trucks (at safe distance) when traveling on interstates.
A 1200 cc Turbo Diesel MINI One.
Fit it out with 12 inch tires while you’re at it!
My 06 actually gets better mileage when I drive it more aggressively- the 03 was the same way.
Relax MINI Owners. You are already doing your bit to help the USA lower fuel usage and pollution.
What you should be doing is questioning why people are still buying Hummers and Pickup trucks. I read an article where some “green” guy firebombed a Hummer or Chrysler dealer in California as a protest and got jail time.
Ever thought whats going to happen in China when 800 million people want to drive cars instead of riding bicycles?
Agreed. We are already driving a more efficient car, so its all good. I’ll keep walking when I can, minimizing my driving and using an efficient car. I don’t plan on trading my R50 in until I get something that offers real savings over what I get now (ie: a diesel or hybrid).
Of course, I’m off to Canada in a bit, so it they get the diesel up north I might have a big decision to make.
Nigel/Frank – Mini does not have a diesel drive-train that meets 50 state compliance in the US. If you mean the “bean-counters” won’t let them develop one, yeah I guess so. Just like they bean-counters won’t let them develop one that runs on water.
I criticize you because you always trot out these same lame arguments. Blaming the bean-counters is one of them. Get your own blog and spin to your hearts content.
Ummmmm. So the bean counters have nothing to do with the US not receiving a MINI 1. I think you are ludicrous? If the Bangle group would fork over some R&D cash the engineers could be ready in less than a year. If I’m not mistaken looking at technical drawings over at VW the new diesel system going to the USA is mostly add on parts of exhaust and sensors? SO come on BMW get your finger outta your bumm and listen to these Americans get a freakin MINI diesel us bound Like now.I would much rather be receiving a diesel than the gas version which should be hittin my garage door any day know (yeah right)! More like Thanksgiving or Kwanzaa. Patience -developing -slowly….ok, I guess I have to go drive my rs4 until my new mini arrives.
Nolemini – If your goal is to consume more fuel per mile, than driving aggressively is definitely a good way to get “better” mileage.
Been reading the comments about petrol (gas) consumption and driving – read: DRIVING!! – your MINI.
Just got mine last week … nice cabrio … but the temps here in Canberra are still in the 12Celcius max range. I can buy 10% Ethanol blend locally at one cent cheaper than regular and the octane is higher. Friend of mine uses it in his harley and raves about it. So, next fill-up, might just give it a try.
If MINI doesn’t do what you want by offering a greener car, buy a different brand! They would not offer Euro pick-up so I sold my MINI and bought a brand that was offering Euro pick-up.
I would buy a diesel MINI in a second, but MINI won’t offer it here in the USA unless they just plain feel like it! They have already made it clear that they are not in the mood right now.
If you’re going to go into “thinking green”, you could encourage the use of recycled metals, plastics, etc for use in the new Minis. Also, if you’re in a unnecessarily large parking lot, you don’t need to drive your car from store to store. A few more minutes walking for the average American wont do any harm.
For what it’s worth, as a long-time resident of the corn-iest state in the union (Nebraska), they’re only putting ethanol in gas because it makes the ag lobby happy. If Iowa wasn’t an early primary state, nobody at the government or petrochemical level would give a rip about ethanol. Likewise, the reason it’s cheaper at the pump is usually because the state is giving it a tax break to benefit farmers who grow ethanol crops (which isn’t in itself bad, just worth noting). Emissions may be lower, but the efficiency is lower too and more energy (and fossil fuels) are expended in producing [at least corn] ethanol than are gained back in its use as fuel. All that is to say I think ethanol is ultimately, at least in my opinion, a distraction away from more promising technologies.
Personally, I think the automotive industry should take a page from the railroads and build locomotive-style powerplants – a diesel engine runs a generator and electric motors do the work. Run that diesel on vegetable oil, which has much lower emissions supposedly, and you’re in business. You’ve also circumvented the “battery” problem. You’d have torque galore and I’ve seen AmTrak trains doing almost 90 mph so there’s some definite horsepower available. But I’m only a recreational engineer, so I can’t speak to the actual practicality of something like that in an automobile.
>I’d like to see every gasoline powered vehicle sold in the US be flex-fuel capable, able to run off of mixtures of up to 85% ethanol, mostly so that we more easily have the option of not relying on foriegn oil if we so choose
Why I think that would also be pretty good, but not ideal. The problem I’ve heard with E85, besides it not being as efficient, is that your car has to be ‘weened’ on and off the fuel. I can’t ever see that happening.
>Run that diesel on vegetable oil, which has much lower emissions supposedly
From what I have heard, biodiesels do have lower NOx emmissions than regular diesels, and CO2 emmisions are also inline with gas engines.
>I think the bigger potential for improvement is getting people out of cars that get 15-18 mpg and into cars that get 25-30.
AMEN! Now, how do you get the starbucks swilling, makeup applying, cell phone talking Mom out of her Suburban and into a Clubman?
I do like the idea of an hybrid electic, something like Nathaniel pointed out above. The Chevy Volt, while still vaporware, is a perfect example, if they ever build it. But a diesel engine charging batteries would be ideal in my book!
And, for those of you that keep blaming ‘bean counters’ for not bringing the MINI D to the US, just stop. While they are partially to blame, it’s mostly California (and the states that follow CA’s emissions laws) that are keeping the D from coming. They are forcing all passenger vehicles to have the same levels of emissions, no matter what type of fuel they use.
Sure the beancounters might say it’s not cost effective to make the D CA compliant (they are a business after all, out to make money), but if CA wasn’t so stringent with passenger car regs and really knuckled down on larger trucks, trains and ships (where are very large portion of the NOx in the SoCal Basin comes from), then we might see the D here.
Oh yea, the technology that does exist to bring the D to the states is available, but it would take up so much space in the boot (more than likely) that you would be complaining about that more than Consumer Reports complains about the cup holders in the R50/R53!
I’ve thought about that “space in the boot argument” and I don’t think that is an obstacle. If you look under the R56 MCS the exhaust travels straight back and exits at the center of the bumper – lots of dead space on either side. Look under the R56 MC and the exhaust turns to one side and exits at the side of the rear bumper, and the dead space is filled with a compact spare. Without that spare tire there is plenty of space to mount the hardware for an emissions system in the Cooper D. It does not have to rob anything from the boot.
I think one thing is perfectly clear with the concept of Mini producing a alt fuel vehicle for the US. I am quite sure that Mini engineers and managers have been thinking about green cars for a while. Whatever technology that we every see here is going to have to be something that makes sense to not only produce in the US as a whole but also makes sense on a European car.
I personally would really like to see a E85 based Mini, would love to see a Mini D in the states but I don’t see any way this is going to happen anytime soon. I also think a plug in electric would have a chance of success. Sadly though most of these aren’t actually that much better for the environment, think we are really still in the very early years of alternative fueled cars, think given a little time I am betting some methods will become more common than others. Think the main thing that really is at the base of the issue is not the cars but rather the infrastructure, with the exception of diesel we really have a lot of ground to make up for before we are really going to see anything to viable.
Please help – We own a beautiful MCS convertible with JCW (factory installed) and we love the car. We also live in Philadelphia where we do about 75% of our driving in the city. These days we drive gently in the city and our gas mileage has been pretty dreadful. As opposed to highway driving where we get between 25-30 mpg in our car, in the city our mileage is between 11mpg and 15mpg. We are concerned about this in terms of our “energy footprint” and are trying to understand what might be going on. We are considering a trade-in for a next gen convertible, s still, but without the works if that will result in a dramatic increase. Advice, knowledge, help and more help would be appreciated.