Countryman Diesel Spied Sans Camo
Although some of us are very “get off my lawn” when it comes to MINI diesel talk (since we’re highly unlikely to ever see one of these brilliant oil burners on US soil), MotorAuthority.com has got spy shots of the upcoming Countryman SD. Aside from the diesel badging on the boot hatch, there doesn’t seem to be anything visually differentiating it from its petrol-loving siblings.
<p>I would buy one in a second! Please please bring a Countryman SD to the States before I buy my Countryman ALL4!</p>
<p>“Although some of us are very “get off my lawn†when it comes to MINI diesel talk”</p>
<p>I think most are wanting this on their lawn, or at least in the driveway.</p>
<p>If the EPA wants to shove more Ethanol into our gas powered vehicles, :-((( ,then I seriously doubt that Big Brother will allow something as logical as a high fuel mileage diesel to come into the USA!</p>
<p>If I had thought there was a hope in H*** of a diesel Mini coming into the fold I would not have purchased a second gas Mini.</p>
<p>Off topic a bit but does anyone else think these photos depict two different cars, one painted “true blue” and one painted “surf blue”?</p>
<p>Detailed my wife’s TDI yesterday, then saw the new Audi A3 TDI on the road, both had me thinking I could convince my wife to look at the Countryman…if MINI brought their diesel here.</p>
<p>:-)</p>
<p>Hey petrolheads – you don’t know what you’re missing out on. What is it with this anti-diesel thing?
You have to start thinking more “global”. A large number of cars in Europe are diesel-powered.
My only concern is that the diesel versions are more expensive than petrol – and I suppose that has got something to do witrh economies of scale. But if diesels were cheaper than petrol models, given that the diesel is cheaper at the pump, they would sell even more.
As Martin Luther King jnr said “I have a dream!”.</p>
<p>Diesels are very efficient and durable motors but one small detail is too often overlooked – they pollute like mad! And the fine particulates, enriched in air toxics with proven carcinogenicity, have serious adverse health impacts. Now, with help of a particulate filter or urea injection system in the exhaust stream this too can be overcome, mind. But they are very maintenance-dependent solution and the reality of a large number of diesels in our fleet is not something we would want to breathe in our large urban centres. So there is more to the diesel story than most people see…</p>
<p>Actually… correct me if I’m wrong- but is the U.S. Spec Countryman have available tinted rear windows like the Countryman above?</p>
<p>Greg – there isn’t anti diesel sentiment here. We want them.</p>
<p>Diesel is more expensive the petrol here though.</p>
<blockquote> Diesels are very efficient and durable motors but …they pollute like mad! And the fine particulates </blockquote>
<p>You might brush up on your facts:</p>
<p>“[The TDI] is clean enough to meet the most stringent current emissions standards, allowing sale in all 50 U.S. states, including those adopting California clean air standards.”</p>
<p><a href="http://www.greencar.com/articles/2009-vw-jetta-tdi-road-test.php" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.greencar.com/articles/2009-vw-jetta-tdi-road-test.php</a></p>
<p>I’m presuming (from historical experience) that Australia could see a Diesel variant on its shores. Will wait and see what transpires at the official Aus launch of the Countryman early next year. If it’s launched, I’ll definitely give it a test drive.</p>
<p>This vehicle makes the most sense. With seating for 5, of course.</p>
<p>Question: If VW can import diesels, and BMW and others can import diesels, why can’t MINI import them? I’don’t see the logic and I’m stumped. Thanks ahead for your answer.</p>
<p>Micheal,</p>
<p>Here’s the simple version:</p>
<p>It isn’t that MINI <em>can’t</em> because of some sort of logistical or regulatory limitation, it’s that they’re very, very likely to lose money on diesel vehicles in the US. That’s because the market for MINIs is actually pretty small. The market for diesel cars (as opposed to trucks) is <em>really</em> small in the US. Small + really small = very small. So once MINI has paid all the certification fees to get a MINI D approved for US consumption, they’re unlikely to sell enough cars to recoup those fees and turn a profit. Sadly, just like great television shows can’t persist without advertising revenue, great cars like the MINI Ds can’t go on sale here just on principle if MINI will lose money on them.</p>
<p>I think with good advertising it can be done. Pretty sure the US market would go for a car that can get over 50mpg while hitting 0-60 in well under 10 sec. Maybe that’s just me thinking as a 20something.</p>
<p>Advertising doesn’t solve everything, but I do share your optimism. Bottom line is that it isn’t as though MINI USA doesn’t <em>want</em> to bring the diesel cars here. They really do. They’ve said as much on many occasions. It’s just that they can’t make the business case, and until they can, no self-respecting business manager would or should let them do it.</p>
<p>@ MatthewW – imagine a thought experiment where our CURRENTLY FLEET suddenly switched to the diesel/gasoline mix that is common in EU. The increase in particulate pollution would be undeniable. Particulate emissions standards have been much less stringent in EU than in N.America (i.e., California and those states that have adopted their standards).</p>
<p>That diesels are available with effective particulate filters or other aftertreatment that meet the latest standards is a VERY recent development. And it is a moving target… as standards grow more stringent… the engineering to keep diesel particulate emissions in check to meet certification needs to move even more quickly and this is not an easy thing to do since compression-ignition engines inherently produce more particulates than their spark-ignition cousins.</p>
<p>I am a fan of diesel as I wrote, but I do like to point out that the health concerns of particulate emissions are very real and absolutely more of an engineering challenge to attenuate compared with those from gasoline motors. Now it is a bit of a chicken-and-egg thing, that’s for sure… if BMW and others certify and sell more diesels in the California et al markets both aftertreatment and emissions regulations would be advanced and that would ultimately benefit EU as well in the long run.</p>
<p>Thanks for your enlightenment Nathaniel.</p>
<p>I will be happy to buy a diesel Countryman in about three years after they get all of the bugs out of this new model.</p>
<p>So let MINI know this is one diesel lover (tree-hugger) will be happy to own one.</p>
<p>What color is that?</p>