The Mighty Prince Engine: It’s Future on the Road & in Motorsport
The current 1.6L MINI engine wasn’t quite born out of the strange bed-fellow partnership that the previous power plant was. The Tritec came to MINI from of Chrysler (where it was engineered and designed in Detroit) via Brazil (where it was produced). It just so happened that it turned out to be a robust and characterful power plant that suited the R50 and R53 rather well.
In comparison the Prince family of engines has quite the pedigree. Designed and engineered by key members of the same team that had just finished work on the famed M54 inline six BMW engine, the Prince engines introduced MINI to a number of new technologies. BMW even enlisted the help of the then BMW F1 team and some of their engineers when it came to a few key components within the JCW version.
Motorsports and the Prince engine started in 2008 with the updated MINI Challenge car. First shown in the summer of 2007 at MINI United (teased actually) the engine found under the bonnet was essentially a freer breathing version of the forthcoming JCW MINI. In JCW street guise the turbo four made 210 bhp. And while that was down on the Tritec JCW power plant (which made due with 211 bhp) torque was way up. In all it was the fastest MINI made yet.
But that wasn’t the end of the Prince’s motorsport involvement. Fast forward to 2010 when both BMW and MINI race cars debuted with the 1.6L turbo Prince under the hood. For the MINI this was in the form of the 300 hp WRC Countryman. However with BMW it was (surprisingly) in the form of a rear wheel drive 310 bhp, 310 lb-ft BMW 320 TC. Yes that means tranverse mounted 1.6L is turned sideways and mounted in typical BMW fashion (longitudinally).
BMW then went even further and put the revised MCS Prince engine (code named the N18) into the rear wheel drive F20 1 Series BMW. That engine (using the BMW code-name N13B16), is mounted transversely powering the rear wheels. It features two different tunes: the 116i with 136 hp and the 118i with 170 hp. The engine characteristics are slightly more refined to better suit the BMW brand.
What does all of this mean? For starters there will be a greater emphasis at BMW on developing the Prince family of engines in the years ahead. It’s also clear that BMW sees a bright and increasingly high performance future for some Prince engines. Last year the Cooper S turbo got a sizable boost thanks to BMW’s famous variable valve timing. Next year we expect that upgrade to extend to the current JCW power plant in the form of more power across the power-band. How much? Don’t be surprised to see the 2013 JCW (available in Coupe, Roadster, Convertible, Clubman and yes, Countryman) to flirt or even surpass the 220 hp mark.
Also under development (likely for 2014) is hybrid version of the engine that will likely make it’s way into the the Countryman and/or Paceman along with BMW’s own front wheel drive MINI based 1 Series.
Yes MINI is introducing a 1.5L 3 cylinder engine in the next generation MINI that will wow with it’s efficiency and performance. But it’s clear that the four cylinder Prince will continue to play a very important role for both the BMW and MINI brand on both the road and the track.
<p>Did you say the F20’s is mounted transverse and powering the rear? It does not look so in the photo. The oil filler would correspond with the Prince if you turned it 90deg and inline with the drive shaft.</p>
<p>Hopefully MINI takes notice of what VW is doing with the announced Beetle R concept shown in LA, where they announced much of the concept would make it to the final car. While I would never buy a Beetle I have respect for what they are planning for it.</p>
<p>A unique body kit with a slightly wider front bumper and wheel arches that house 20″ wheels. A unique grill, and spoiler. Consensus is that its also likely be be linked with a 4 wheel drive system and a 2.0 liter turbo good for about 270 hp. Meanwhile JCW is in a fairly meager place, I am not sure a 12ish HP increase is actually even really worth noting as any number of hot hatches blow this out of the water.I have a lot of hope for the F56 redevelopment to make the JCW MINI something that truly stands above and beyond. I own a R58 Coupe and have respect for it but its still dramatically lacking when it comes to being unique and a cleanly different from the Cooper S. JCW still feels like a kit today versus its own sub brand, something I am hoping to see changed.</p>
<p>20″ wheels? That is just ridiculous. Its bad enough that they insist on offering 18″ wheels when clearly the legitimate racing car version uses 17s. 18 and up, its just ridiculous show car stuff – no grounding in performance, to me says they are more serious about the look than the speed. </p>
<p>But I do think you are right – it would be easy to offer wider wheels with flared wheel arches and I dumbfounded this was not done years ago.</p>
<p>Agree about the 20″ wheels but the fact that it will have a monster motor compared to the JCW just like a huge number of hot hatches in Europe. While this is not the end all for performance a tiny 20hp gain over the stock S currently is embarrassing.</p>
<p>VW comprehends something that MINI so far does not, that generally speaking most people spending funds on a hot version of their chosen car most often wants to feel like their auto is separate from its less powerful examples. There are those that like the wolf in sheep clothing but I think that is a super tiny percentage. The relatively lackluster place JCW has been left, and the unique things like the JCW red roof are tough to swallow as being much more than a bad joke.I just dropped 45k on a JCW Coupe (insane money for a MINI) to make it different enough from a S not to make gag each time I saw my “performance” MINI. It blows me away how a parent company with ///M and MINI who produced the GP did not seem to have a clue what their performance fans are hoping for. I would have been happy to drop 45k on a stock JCW if MINI would have actually built something truely unique and special instead of a small upgrade over the stock S.</p>
<p>Changing the oil in the 1 series N13 engine looks to be quite a chore. If I interpret the drawing correctly the oil filter is at the back of the engine bay on the driver side under the plastic cowling near the base of the windshield. And tucked behind the hot turbo housing assembly… not my idea of fun, and I perform oil changes on our stable of R50/53/56 MINIs, an N52 3 series, and a Boxster…</p>
<p>Quite possible. But I imagine that if you remove that plastic cowel it would be right there.</p>
<p>I have to agree, 12hp equals a new exhaust. JCW has to be something Powerful and Reliable that you can’t easily get from aftermarket.
Anyone with a 2011+ R56 can spend under $1000 and have 230hp/230tq easily and reliably today; that’s more than the 2013 JCW that doesn’t “exist” yet. That ain’t right ya’ll!</p>
<p>Even Ford is bringing the Focus ST to the US, with 247Hp and 260TQ (you can resonably assume 300hp/300tq figures with tuning).</p>
<p>The JCW brand should be all out. Full on engine, exterior, brakes, suspension and a compleatly different sounding, exhaust; one that hides, but gets very angry when you step on it.
Having said that, you should be able to add OEM+ upgrades to your S as parts. Maybe a instead of calling it JCW you call it “J-Sport”. The idea is you have your halo car brand with all the good stuff and you can keep all you lucrative OEM+ customers without taking away that little extra bit of special from owning a pure JCW.</p>
<p>Brian,
While I agree and wish that Mini/BMW would do a 250 hp as well as torque, we have to realize that Mini does under rate their engines considerably. Most of the dyno tests that I’ve seen on JCW’s stock are very close to 200 hp at the WHEELS. Figure at least 10% loss to get flywheel hp, many people think that the loss is even greater, and so Mini still sticks with the 208 hp. Go figure, probably has something to do with insurance premiums for us.</p>
<p>I’d still like to see the N20 2.0 BMW motor find it’s way into the JCW, or at least the Countryman and it’s upcoming coupe. That 300 lbs extra needs more than a 208, or even the 220 Prince motor. 260+ could easily be attained by the BMW 2.0 motor. Just my opinion. As for trim changes, I kind of like the sleeper look. In the old days, I even took off the fake hood scoops on my then, brand new 67 Plymouth GTX, then put hi-po 273 tags on it. Yup, still haven’t changed much.</p>
<p>If we can believe what we see here, then the N-20 rumor is just that, a rumor that we wish would come to pass. But, it great to see that they will be, FINALLY increasing the power on the JCW. Now, let’s focus on improving the suspension, and while I’m at it, the long shifting throw that bugs the he** out of me.</p>
<p>we need a jcw gp </p>
<p>Just so long as the timing chain doesn’t break.</p>