[Prowse]

Quote: Originally Posted by GP1004 (original)

Can you supercharge a diesel?

Well if you can, do something similar to what volkswagen have done with the petrol golf TSI, turbo and super charge so you get the best of both worlds!

Or BMW could use their twin turbo know how and just stick another turbo on it, this would really boost performance like with the 335d over the 330d

Yes you can supercharge diesels, though I doubt BMW/MINI would go down that route as superchargers are generally more costly to build, which is why I suspect they were dropped from the new engine designs.

[scottp7]

Quote: Originally Posted by GP1004 (original)

Can you supercharge a diesel?

Well if you can, do something similar to what volkswagen have done with the petrol golf TSI, turbo and super charge so you get the best of both worlds!

Or BMW could use their twin turbo know how and just stick another turbo on it, this would really boost performance like with the 335d over the 330d

I think BMW would struggle to fit two turbo's into a Mini. But maybe one turbo is a possibility.

A Cooper S Diesel would definately interest me. BMW obviously don't have a good market research sector

[Rakey]

Quote: Originally Posted by R99 (original)

I think it would sell well in theory. But I wonder if BMW would be willing to put the John Cooper Works name they paid £££ for next to a diesel model? It comes down to badge snobbery really.

I personally would like to see a high powered diesel model in the range. The likes of VAG have been doing it for years, and SEAT especially have especially benefited sales wise from such models. Such as their 1.9 160bhp Ibiza Curpa which delivers 243 lb ft torque. It gets to 60 in 7.6 seconds, and the torque makes for very impressive in gear times, which in the real world count for more than the 0-60 sprint.

If they offered a Cooper S 'D' or even a diesel JCW then such an engine would be the perfect candidate. However as it belongs to the VAG group then I think its fair to say that will never happen.

And as with all VAG group diesels even the 1.9's / 2.0's still have plenty of scope for more after market power. I think AntFR on here will no doubt testify to that.

I am not familiar with the engine range BMW have access too, but from memory I don't think the Cooper D's engine has that much scope for OEM power. By that I mean I don't think 160bhp ish from that engine could be offered from the factory due to emissions and/or reliability and I don't just mean the engine. The gearbox might not be up to the job either.

I'm willing to be proved wrong though.

I think we'd be more likely to see the MCS'd before the JCW, a good measure would be to consider how the M badge is used, there isn't an M diesel, so I think you've hit on some good points

Quote: Originally Posted by R99 (original)

So in short if MINI could shoehorn one of BMW's higher power diesels into the engine bay, then the car would be a stonker. Or any other engine they have access to for that matter...

Although it would still sound like a tractor though!!

On the outside maybe

A 1.8 or 2.0ltr TD MINI would be awesome and be even better than the already good Cooper Diesel.

Quote: Originally Posted by tommo13 (original)

I wonder if you could get the 1 series 118d into a Mini ? I think it 's about 140 odd brake as standard. Surely that could be mapped up to around 160bhp which would be great in a dooper ?

It fits, but its the wrong way round, so they would need to find away to get it work with a gearbox

Quote: Originally Posted by Paul (original)

I reckon they could get something based on that in a MINI.

Maybe they will do so quite soon.

Maybe if the deal on the current engine supply had some issues or something like that we might see something sooner, profit or easier manufacturing are generally things which push these opportunities for change faster

But who knows how things stand at present.....

[pbarclay]

I think the success of the Mini Cooper D may have a large influence on the release of higher power models.

Can a MINI still retain its essential fun factor even when it is powered by a diesel engine? I think the answer is Yes as the torque is there. However, ultimately a lot is about dealing with the spoilsports who want to brand any car with a CO2 output higher than a gnats backside as the sole cause of global warming.

If I was in the market for a BMW 5 series it would be the 535D - a model that I am sure owes its development to the success of the 320 CDI engine in the Mercedes E Class and S class. What we need in the Dooper is an engine that is the equivalent of these powerhouses - able to hold their own with the best petrol engines and offering amazingly good fuel economy.

[adam_Randell]

Diesels are alot better than they used to be - so no excuse of making a high performance one....audi have realeased a V10, 510BHP Diesel R8!

[bob corbishley]

I'm working on a project at the moment with an independant automotive consult from the south coast. I showed him the engine in my Dooper yesterday. He was saying that he and the chap behind the previous gen JCWs had been looking at the engine recently (I'm afraid I've forgotten the chaps name though!). The outcome of their discusison was that they reckon they could extract 170BHP from the Dooper but it would require a new turbo to do it.

Here's hoping!!

[pbarclay]

Interesting discussion with Nick Bateson of Red i Tuning today. He says he can get more than 30 bhp by remapping the ECU but this would shorten the life of the diesel particulate filter. He recommends restricting a power upgrade to 20 bhp to avoid this problem.

I will probably get my MINI's ECU remapped as a stop-gap in the next few weeks

However, it would be far better to have a car designed to take the horsepower from the bottom up with a suitable clutch, air intake, turbo, particulate filter, exhaust plus some Recaro seats to stop you from sliding around when cornering. Hopefully I will still be able to afford it when it comes out!