Mini Cooper D(iesel)
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Mini Cooper D(iesel)
By Richard Truett, Automotive News
(Credit: Automotive News)
DETROIT--I'm cruising south on Interstate 75 at a steady 64 mph. If the fuel economy gauge in the car can be believed--and there's no reason that it shouldn't--I'm burning one gallon of fuel every 74 miles.
I'm not limping along in some wimpy gasoline-electric hybrid. I'm not drafting behind a semitruck. And I'm not relying on any of the dangerous maneuvers that hypermiling eco-geeks use as they try to extract every inch of distance out of a gallon of gasoline.
Nope. I'm in a 2007 Mini Cooper D, and I am driving it normally. The D stands for diesel. It's a version of the popular hatchback that isn't available in the United States--yet.
Here's a car that lets you have your high fuel economy cake and eat big slices of it, too. Just as important as the Mini Cooper D's ultralow fuel consumption is its fun-to-drive factor. It's off the charts in this car.
The Mini Cooper D is quick. Its 1.6-liter turbocharged diesel engine propels the 2,600-pound hatchback to 60 mph in 9.7 seconds. Plus, the car is good-looking, the chassis is rock-solid, and the handling is as tight as a go-cart.
The engine runs smoothly and, if you keep the windows up, quietly. BMW did a nice job of keeping the diesel chatter out of the interior.
The Bosch high-pressure fuel injection system helps the engine run cleanly. I put my finger into the exhaust pipe expecting it to turn black from soot. It was clean. There was no exhaust residue in the pipe.
The 2001-2006 first generation of the new Mini Cooper also had a diesel engine. But that car, with just 75 horsepower, did not have the chops for the U.S. market--too slow.
The second generation, launched in 2007, has 108 horsepower and easily can run with other economy cars in its class.
BMW plans to offer the Cooper diesel in the United States when the emissions system is robust enough to allow the car to be sold in all 50 states. The company declines to say when that might happen.
Diesel engine technology is expensive. But if BMW could figure out a way to sell the Mini Cooper D for about the same price as a loaded Mini Cooper S, the car could be a big success here.
But they are a long, long way from that. For now, the Cooper D would cost at least $25,000, roughly $7,000 more than the base model.
(Source: Automotive News)
I was car shopping with my niece over the past couple of weeks. She is tired of her 2004 Jetta. The car definitely fell into the ''hit'' category. She didnt have any issues in 56,000miles of driving.
Anyhow, she has her heart set on a Mini Cooper S. I held these cars in the same regard as the PT Cruiser and VW Beetle before I drove one. Very very fun and solid. Its kinda hard to explain. She built one for 26.8k OTD. I have a problem with over researching everything. I stumbled upon this article again. I dont see why they wont bring it even if its not 50 state legal. Mercedes did that for a while. 74mpg!! I forsee it being in the 60's when they tweak the emissions systems. It would definitely sell like coke at a rock concert.
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It isnt a US Spec car. I did a bit more research. That was indeed imperial gallons. As per autobloggreen:
"Even with all this cavorting, the MINI still managed to traverse 47 miles for every U.S.-sized gallon of diesel. Considering that most of the driving was around town without any hypermiling techniques, that's exceptional. A more sedate driving style could easily push 50 mpg. It's a lot better than any of the gas-engined Smarts sold here can manage and is on par with the user-submitted numbers on the EPA website for the Prius."
"Even with all this cavorting, the MINI still managed to traverse 47 miles for every U.S.-sized gallon of diesel. Considering that most of the driving was around town without any hypermiling techniques, that's exceptional. A more sedate driving style could easily push 50 mpg. It's a lot better than any of the gas-engined Smarts sold here can manage and is on par with the user-submitted numbers on the EPA website for the Prius."
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Originally Posted by Chris S,Sep 7 2008, 06:30 PM
47 isn't much better than my wife's Jetta TDI, and is has a lot more passenger and cargo space. The new gen TDI's coming soon (if not already out) should do even better.
Although that mileage is mighty high, not that great considering it is a diesel and is light.
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Issue with diesel is availablity. Not always available in all areas, & out here it is quite a bit more expensive than even premium gas !!!
Even today many of the most efficient diesel's are still only rated as LEV's (Low Emission Vehicles) rather than the cleaner ULEV, SULEV, & PZEV's.
Even today many of the most efficient diesel's are still only rated as LEV's (Low Emission Vehicles) rather than the cleaner ULEV, SULEV, & PZEV's.
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Originally Posted by Chris S,Sep 7 2008, 08:30 PM
47 isn't much better than my wife's Jetta TDI, and is has a lot more passenger and cargo space. The new gen TDI's coming soon (if not already out) should do even better.
