I'm with you on this....I was VERY close to getting a Clubman. Due to several factors, one of which is the current price of petrol, it has forced me to reconsider. Everything I've read about hybrids in general indicate they have a bit more "launch" off the start than their gasoline counterparts.
But I must admit I've been thinking of sending an e-mail to the folks at Mini Corporate regarding this issue. It's become an issue no one can really ignore any more, yes? Surely a Mini doesn't HAVE to be mated with a gasoline engine.
Being as tiny as the Mini is, I bet they could double the fuel economy if a hybrid was developed. Sadly though, when I asked this very question to an MA, he stated that we would probably see the Diesel before a hybrid. He made mention of that happening sometime in 2013.....yuck...WTF?
Seriously though, if they don't opt for better fuel economy, or consider a hybrid real soon, I'll have no choice but to consider Toyota or Honda. I REALLY want a Mini, but stand alone gasoline engines are becoming something that should be loathed, IMO.
Also, you were saying about MINIs not necessarily having to be mated to petrol engines - do you not yet have the CooperD (aka Dooper) in your area in either Hatchback or Clubman form??
Thanks for the link Andrew. After reading that thread, it looked like it became a bit heated. sigh...
Sadly though, the Cooper and Clubman D's aren't available for sale here in the states. I don't know why that would be. As I mentioned, it seems like it'll happen in 2013.
Maybe it's a regulation issue perhaps? I wouldn't know the details or logistics involved, so I shouldn't speculate. But the Doopers are being produced, that's what's a little maddening. It's not as if we don't have diesel engine cars in the states. I could go to my local VW dealer and snag a TDI Rabbit/Golf.
Hmmm, that's very odd. Presumably, with the cheap price of petrol over there, BMW thought that if people are looking to go economical they'd probably go for a 1.6 petrol rather than for a 1.6 diesel.
Perhaps they assumed the mindset to diesels is more in mind to trucks and towing. One thing I noticed when I was filling up my parents F350 was that the diesel pumps over there are generally quite dirty - my Mom won't touch them. This is stretching logic a bit... but that could be another reason not to make any Doopers over there.
A -- traditionally diesels don't sell well in sedan cars in the US because they've got an unfortunate and outdated association of being 'dirty' burning.
Also, E-85 cars are selling better because the fuel is cheaper (though the mileage per gallon is less) and since diesel's mroe expensive than petrol, diesels don't sell well. people tend to look at the price of fuel rather that the TCO/Total Cost to Own figures ...
the current diesel in the MINI range is a PSA engine and is not capable of a urea injection system that BMW uses on it’s new US diesel offerings without some incredibly expensive engineering and retrofitting. Neither of which make sense for what would be a niche vehicle in the US market.
The engines may emit less CO2 or less overall, but they pump out something else instead,
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