We’ve been telling you for awhile now that MINUSA is bringing a MINI diesel to the US. But the big question is when? With that MF reader Rick Talbot (Current owner of a ’15 R59 S & a BMW F31 sport wagon) wants to know if VW’s recent woes have destroyed MINIs plans or emboldened them?

“With all the recent VW Diesel issues and lower fuel prices (albeit recently rising again) do you really think MINI will bring the new Countryman to the U.S. in Diesel format? I’d certainly be interested in learning if this is still a real possibility as we have a car coming off lease in early 2017.”

The easy answer is that we don’t know. Our diesel sources have gone quiet in the past few months and we can’t help but wonder if that is due to a rethink given the diesel market place in the US taking a VW shaped nose dive. Or is it simply the quiet before the storm?

So let’s turn the question to you. If MINI releases a Countryman Cooper SD in about a years time, would you be interested?