Hello,

I am french, I work for Peugeot and I am at the Oxford Plant in the UK for a while.
I can see the Mini 2007 in details.
Ask all the questions, I will try to answer.

The diesel is currently being built because it will be available from start.

The general feeling in my team about the peugeot engines :
- No worries about the diesel. It is exactly the engine that already works very well in many cars (207, 407, ...) and was first introduced 2 years ago, modified, evolved, reliable.
- The petrol engine line encounters problems, it really a new engine, collaboration is not easy. There may be differences between specs from BMW and the final realisation.


elmo.

Hi Elmo,

most interesting question for me is: what about the rumoured weight savings of ca. 100kg?

Next thing: quality of interiour? Handling even better? Accelaration and fuel economy (especially for the S)? Correct, that power of S will be 210 hp? and JCW round about 250hp? boot size increased? and finally prices???

Thanks in advance for your replies:-)

Axelander

S is around 170, no idea where 210 came from? Works is expected around 220.

Paul, i´ve heard from the inside (development department), but not 100% sure. For me it would make sense, since all current small hatchbacks are round about 200hp (207 will be as well) so MINI has to incease as well ;-) At least that's what i hope for....

Can only go by what a number of sources have said to me that we're going to start around 75hp up to 170hp for the "normal" models, then the works is just over 220 hp 205 lb/ft torque. Be nice to have more though.

These comments are based on nothing but my own opinions, but:

1. 170 bhp is pretty good going from a 1.6 engine - 200+ is very impressive, but 250? I'm not sure that reliability at that output / litre could be guaranteed (& before anyone says Evo FQ - they need servicing every 3,000 miles, which may not sit well with another tlc package). I'm sure aftermarket tuned versions can be got to that state of tune, but would BMW want to support warranties at those stress levels on the engine?

2. Not sure that a 2 litre engine will fit unless the new Mini is much bigger & I don't think it is.

3. Significant weight saving might be tough and / or expensive
- basic spec levels on current Minis were not high & toys add weight. Spec levels on cars generally have to rise from generation to generation to keep up with other manufacturers (paticularly as the same engine will be used in PSA group cars, where value/spec for money has always been a selling point).
- safety levels are already pretty good & cannot afford to be reduced, preferably improved & while clever engineering definitely helps, so, unfortunately does weight.
- composite lightweight materials are expensive (comparatively), so weight loss through carbon fibre, kevlar, etc puts up the unit cost.

Don't get me wrong, the current Mini is great (of course I'd say that), but I suspect that the next one will be an evolution, not some tyre-shredding, torque-steering boy-racer like an Astra VXR.

Where's Elmo, we want some answers?? :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Probably, he's out of the factory and for an answer he has to use the company account ;-) Come on Elmo, show us you have the courage!

Probably, he's out of the factory and for an answer he has to use the company account ;-) Come on Elmo, show us you have the courage!

Hi !

Yes I was out :) week-end !!!

Going out again for lunch, come back à 2 o'clock :)

Hi !

Yes I was out :) week-end !!!

Going out again for lunch, come back à 2 o'clock :)

Hi Elmo,

There's one thing I'd like to know, how likely is the 2 seat roadster to make production?

Richard.

Hi,

I heard that the new S would be 210bhp, there also will be a model to sit between the cooper and the S with a low rated turbo,

Andy

We are not planning any 2 liters engine.
The info we have about horsepower can change very easily between now and when the car will come out.
It wont be more than 180 hp.

Hi Elmo,

most interesting question for me is: what about the rumoured weight savings of ca. 100kg?

Next thing: quality of interiour? Handling even better? Accelaration and fuel economy (especially for the S)? Correct, that power of S will be 210 hp? and JCW round about 250hp? boot size increased? and finally prices???

Thanks in advance for your replies:-)

Axelander

It will be heavier.

About the interior, I am not expert in materials but the previous one had a better touch for me. It becomes more conventional in the material used. I could say the plastic is more 'dense' (harder). It does not give the impression of 'dampering' (softness) of the previous interior. It is less warm, more cold, I would say closer to new beetle or bmw serie 3.

The interior gives a lot of space (room). They sacrified the door arrangement :(

It will be heavier.

About the interior, I am not expert in materials but the previous one had a better touch for me. It becomes more conventional in the material used. I could say the plastic is more 'dense' (harder). It does not give the impression of 'dampering' (softness) of the previous interior. It is less warm, more cold, I would say closer to new beetle or bmw serie 3.

The interior gives a lot of space (room). They sacrified the door arrangement :(

Can you post some pics? Just take them with your mobile phone and upload them here :)
That would be great :D

What about due date Elmo? When are we likely to see the Cooper S available to the public??? :)

Hi,

I heard that the new S would be 210bhp, there also will be a model to sit between the cooper and the S with a low rated turbo,

Andy

No model between the S and Cooper.

It will be heavier.

You sure elmo, from those I know "on the inside", the specs were of a lighter car than the present version.

Recent replacement BMW group cars have been lighter then their predecessors, due to intelligent lightweight engineering. As they gain experience with these technologies maybe it would be possible for the new mini to be a little lighter, bearing in mind it will also be slightly bigger.

I personally think that introducing the S at less then 197bhp (the current fashionable power rating) would be a mistake. The Golf GTI and others maybe be more expensive, but the Civic Type R will have similar power, as will the new Clio Cup, which will probably cost less then a new Cooper S.

I also hope the new diesel is more competitive then the current one.

The new diesels will be better than the current One D I am sure (in terms of engines anyway). The Type R is a much bigger, more expensive car, and the Clio Cup is a different ball game again really (although much closer comparison overall really than a Type R). The new MINI isn't really much bigger than the current model at all, and considering the current MINI is shorter than a Ford Ka, it still wont be big. :D

I am not sure how much the new Cooper S wil be, but before I went for mine I looked at the outgoing R and the Clio 172 and I am sure I would do the same again. I just think that 197bhp would be a good amount to have for a S. Please!!

If elmo says the cars are heavier, couldn't that mean we are in for a more generous basic spec. Things like air con for example aren't light. Its just a thought, i just trying to add a new perspective.

I found this quote :

"Also to be used in the new MINI, the range will include a 190bhp 2.0-litre version. Word is that it’ll be turbocharged"

in this article :

http://cars.msn.co.uk/carnews/spypeugeot207dec05/Default.asp?MSID=067dcf4630184140bbb565cc5e3f9c6d

!!!

I am talking about the 1.6 hdi (new diesel engine). Heavier. I dont know about MCS.

That's just plain wrong (and out of date too at a guess).

:rolleyes:
Perhaps St Elmo should be fired ?
;)

:rolleyes:
Perhaps St Elmo should be fired ?
;)

Nice one!!! I thought this guy was meant to know. He has already quoted that there will be only a 1.6 engine (which we already knew) and he is now suggesting a 2 litre based on some old article he has happended to stumble across. Is he for real??

I found this quote :

"Also to be used in the new MINI, the range will include a 190bhp 2.0-litre version. Word is that it’ll be turbocharged"

in this article :

http://cars.msn.co.uk/carnews/spypeugeot207dec05/Default.asp?MSID=067dcf4630184140bbb565cc5e3f9c6d

!!!

I am talking about the 1.6 hdi (new diesel engine). Heavier. I dont know about MCS.

If you read this article properly it implies there will be a range topping 2 litre turbo for the Pug. The way its been written would allow people to "read in to it" that it was also destined for the Mini. Bad grammar and reporting if you ask me mentioning Mini and 2 litre in the same sentence.

Don't forget, the Pugs are bigger cars under the bonnet and can easily take a 2.0

Nice one!!! I thought this guy was meant to know. He has already quoted that there will be only a 1.6 engine (which we already knew) and he is now suggesting a 2 litre based on some old article he has happended to stumble across. Is he for real??

If you ask me this guy is just fooling around. Check this thread and his reply:

http://www.mini2.com/forum/future-variants/114727-07-minis.html#post2373905

Now read my reply...In his first post he wrote that he is currently in Oxford and in this thread (link above) he wrote "....here in France....".

And 1+1 is...?

I found this quote :

"Also to be used in the new MINI, the range will include a 190bhp 2.0-litre version. Word is that it’ll be turbocharged"

in this article :

http://cars.msn.co.uk/carnews/spypeugeot207dec05/Default.asp?MSID=067dcf4630184140bbb565cc5e3f9c6d

!!!

I am talking about the 1.6 hdi (new diesel engine). Heavier. I dont know about MCS.

And his quote from page 1:

"We are not planning any 2 liters engine.
The info we have about horsepower can change very easily between now and when the car will come out.
It wont be more than 180 hp."


:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused:

Where's Elmo, we want some answers?? :rolleyes: :rolleyes:
Elmo
in addition to the above request , it would be great if u could pose some pictures of the exterior and interior which will be more accurate than spy shots or guessing shots

I found this quote :

"Also to be used in the new MINI, the range will include a 190bhp 2.0-litre version. Word is that it’ll be turbocharged"

in this article :

http://cars.msn.co.uk/carnews/spypeugeot207dec05/Default.asp?MSID=067dcf4630184140bbb565cc5e3f9c6d

!!!

I am talking about the 1.6 hdi (new diesel engine). Heavier. I dont know about MCS.


That was just to say don't thrust "cars.msn.co.uk" or others. I even dont know about petrol engine for the MCS, I work on the hdi engine only. Sorry guys I'm not CEO of Peugeot here I cant answer all your questions and I dont want to say things I am not sure about. The info I can bring you for sure is that the new 1.6 hdi engine is the one used in that actual peugeot 207 hdi which you can test drive in France. It is the best of Bmw + Peugeot engineering in diesel, a 'state of the art' engine.