REPORT: No R56-based Mini diesels bound for U.S.
2008 Mini Cooper D - Click above for high-res image gallery
And now to repeat one particular bit of news that's been playing over and over like a broken record since the modern Mini first made its appearance Stateside back in 2001 – there's little if any chance that the U.S. market will be blessed with an oil-burning Mini Cooper any time soon.
While Mini USA reportedly wants nothing more than to import the Mini D to America, the financial realities are such that the car will either cost way more than anyone is willing to pay (a ridiculous 40-50 percent premium is being bandied about) or sell at such a low price that Mini's German parents won't make a dime on the transaction.
That said, according to the Mini-obsessed boys at MotoringFile, it remains a possibility – however much a long-shot as it seems after all these years – that the next-generation R60 Mini could some day hit U.S. shores with an optional diesel. That would be welcome news indeed, but please excuse us for taking that tidbit with an appropriately large grain of salt.
Gallery: ABG Garage: 2008 MINI Cooper D
[Source: MotoringFile]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Chibi Chaingun - blackhivemedia.com 10:19AM (7/29/2009)
Pretty much the only vehicle on the horizon that I am even kinda interested in that will offer a diesel in the U.S. is the Mahindra pick up. Especially if they make the diesel hybrid, as they mentioned.
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gorr 10:49AM (7/29/2009)
Diesel isn't green, even a hybrid-diesel. What is green is natural gas, hydrogen ice or fuelcell, green algae fuels, municipal waste water transformation in natural gas, surge technology, hydraulic drive, battery car + small serial compact electric generator.
All the greeneries products have been ruled-out by car compagnies and u.s.a goverment and big-oil and autobloggreen bloggers and the taxes on cars and everything related have been raised to the maximum and subsidies are given to incompetants everywhere to maintain petrol and pollution to the max level.
Amators working with the best and cheapest solution there is, i mean converting an existing car to 100% hho operation are having limp and no results because they even don't know that you have to change the carburation process, LOL.
As of yet, only d. dingel and the tesla roadsters owners recharging their tesla with solar panels or small home windmills can be seen as green drivers and the few that rent a fcx honda and fueling at the water electrolyzer shell station in washington or los-angeles feeded by green electricity can be considered practical green drivers but im sure the water electrolyzer installed and paid by the state at the shell station are inneficient and feeded by dirty electricity.
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wincros 12:31PM (7/29/2009)
Well, actually none of the alternatives you mention are green since their manufacturing process is not green, if by green you mean free from fossil fuels. Steel for car bodies is not green, aluminum for car components is not green, plastic battery casings are not green. All we can do is the comparative form: greener. And I think a small modern diesel qualifies as greener. A hybrid diesel would be greener still.
What is amazing is that most of our green house problem could be solved without any exotic technology if we had the will. Solar on every new building and home. Windmills wherever there is wind. Trucks replaced by trains, again. Largest car allowed something like a FIAT 500, with the smallest engine. Every ICE required to be a hybrid.
guyledouche 12:34PM (7/29/2009)
Gorr you need to put the pipe down man. I have read probably every one of your posts for the past year or two and they just keep getting more and more retarded. Do the people at the hospital know that you are using the internet? They will not be pleased to hear about this.
gorr 11:01AM (7/30/2009)
@ guyledouche.
Don't interferr with my buying bids on the open market. It's me that is driving the entire market, not you. If you want to drive the market, just ask for a product that do not exist yet while destroying actual products and their promoters. Actually all mankind is changing their minds each day or so, this is a perticular situation that is happening now and this is a dangerous situation. But as soon as someone put on sale a green products, then the situation will be better.
Horst Noordfjnk 12:53PM (7/29/2009)
No diesel = no Mini for me.
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Jason 9:35PM (7/29/2009)
No diesel Accord
No diesel Toyota pickup
No diesel 1/2 ton Chevy
No diesel 1/2 ton Dodge
No diesel 1/2 ton Ford
No diesel Mini
B100 doesn't work in the VW Jetta
B100 doesn't work in the Audi TDI
B100 doesn't work in the BMW x5
B100 doesn't work in the 2008+ Ford pickups or vans
B100 doesn't work in the 2008+ Dodge pickups or vans
B100 doesn't work in the 2008+ Chevy pickups or vans
Anyone seeing a pattern? Biodiesel is losing its luster in a big way and will be reduced to an additive in all but the most niche applications.
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