Hi Everyone,

Please could you settle an argument the my other half is having at work, it would appear that two women that work in her office can't be pleased that we have both got minis within 7 days of each other.

When she got to work all she got was a barrage of 'they are nice cars, but would be better if it wasn't for the Rover engine and gearbox', she came home and asked me but I wasnt sure either.

My missus has a 2001 (51 plate) mini one which I beleive is a Rover gearbox but I am not sure about the engine.

Were as I have a 2004 (04 plate) mini cooper s, I was under the understanding that this had both a BMW engine and gearbox.

Please help......

The 1.6 liter gasoline engines used in the 1st Gen MINI were built in Brazil by Tritec Motors Ltda., a joint venture company formed in 1998 by BMW AG and Chrysler Corporation (before they merged with Damilier Benz). The Tritec engine is sometimes called the Pentagon engine. These engines were also used in Chrysler Neons sold outside the US.

The manual transmissions in Cooper and One models built through June 2004 were units made by Midlands. The manual transmissions in Cooper S models and Cooper and One models built July 2004 onward were units made by Getrag.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini_(BMW)

Rover originally wanted to fit their K-series engine and Midland gearbox, while BMW wanted the Tritec engine and Getrag gearbox.

As said in the end the first new R50 Mini One and Cooper used the Tritec engine as BMW had wanted and the Rover 'Midland' gearbox up to the July 2004 facelift, when the gearbox was replaced with the 5-speed Getrag. The R53 Cooper S also used the Tritec engine upgraded and fitted with a supercharger and the MCS has always used a 6-speed Getrag gearbox from day one.

Lots more info here on the development history and launch preview of the new MINI:
http://www.mini2.com/forum/mini-media/178684-mini-launch-preview-video-1997-new-10-minute-version.html

Many feel the less refined Mk1/Gen 1 Mini's have more 'character' than the later Mk2/Gen 2 Mini's which had far more BMW design input. The first truly all BMW designed Mini from a 'clean sheet' will be the forthcoming all new Mk3 Mini Hatch now under development. The design code number is also now F56 rather than the previous 'R' numbers as carried over from Rover.
MotoringFile F56 Hatch (http://www.motoringfile.com/section/f56/)