[goldmbr]

Low sulphur fuel available in Europe, not here so we get the lower powered car.

http://www.detnews.com/2003/editoria.../a10-73341.htm

[edlfrey]

Quote:

Originally posted by Xeider
... More then likely if the diesel makes its way across the pond, it won’t be sold in some states similar to the way VW no longer sells there TDI in CA, NY and a few others.

I hope a turbo diesel version of the Mini makes its way to the US soon.

It has become almost an urban myth that VW doesn't sell their TDI in CA. I don't know if the same holds true for NY and a few others but VW TDI's are sold in CA!

I almost bought one before I finally got my Cooper.

[MiNi]

Quote:

Originally posted by GregF
Why is the current VW TDI being offered in the USA still the old 90hp variety, and not the newer 115hp or 130hp PD versions offered in Europe? If the diesels had better performance, Americans would take notice. Also, the price of the fuel doesn't seem to fluctuate so much. When the regular has been cheap, hovering around $1.10 to $1.20 a gallon, diesel seems expensive in comparison @$1.55, but when gas prices rise over $1.50, diesel stays competitive and doesn't seem to go over $1.60. Anyway, if MINI offered a diesel that was at least as powerful as the Cooper, count me in.

There are rumors that a 100hp PD TDI will come in 2004.
www.tdiclub.com.. Great another Fl Member.

[cooper4us]

Lack of low sulfur diesel fuel in the USA will likely keep the MINI ONE D out of the North American Market.

Besides, the gasoline powered MINI ONE is not even sold here either.

[HarryHBMCC]

You need low sulphur diesel to run those higher performing VW TDI engines. Our crappy fuel gums them up very quickly, not to mention putting tons of sulphur oxides into the air (good gas mileage but poor emissions).

Harry

[billboard]

I don't claim to be a diesel fan. But if a large part of the health factors could be addressed by reducing the sulpher content in the fuel that sounds like the way to proceed. Diesel engines are NOT going away given that they power most heavy trucks, trains, etc. If a diesel car stunk less and had "amusing" power characteristics, it would certainly make shopping for a fuel efficient car more fun.

phil

[skobylenski]

Quote:

Originally posted by linux78
My future father in law has a Diesel Dodge RAM
-Chris

Has he heard of the Turbo Diesel Register ? Tell him to check it out.

As for diesel being hard to find, it really depends on where you live, as some parts of the US carry it every few miles, and in other parts, you can go for a few hundred without a diesel pump. It's really a crapshoot as to what you get and where.

As for performance matching or exceeding the Cooper S, all you have to do is put larger injectors in, a performance chip (or box), and you're set to go. People over on the TDR forums drag race ricers and 'Vettes with 7000+lb. trucks

Scott

[Tim Meyer]

Please let me offer my deposit now! A diesel Mini would be a great car...I can hear the knock now!

[Prowse]

Quote:

Originally posted by GregF
[b]Why is the current VW TDI being offered in the USA still the old 90hp variety, and not the newer 115hp or 130hp PD versions offered in Europe?/B]

Hate to tell you this, but VW have been offerering a 150BHP PD TDI for abow a year in Europe. Great when you're in the car, but like all diesel's - sounds like a tractor in the morning!

[Prowse]

I've just been looking at Peugeot's engines (they'll be supplying the gext generation of MINI petrol engines). It's interesting that in their small car range the most powerful turbo diesel they supply is a 90BHP 2.0L engine. Similar performance to the MINI One, but with a LOT more weight up front (not good). Perhaps the problem is the weight & size of TD engines along with intercoolers etc?

[stevieb]

I'm very disappointed with the early reviews of the One D at Isle of Man. The test driver reported that at 50 mph on flat, smooth roads, the computer only clocked 38 mpg. On top of that, it was "struggling" to pull away from start, especially on an incline.

If this is true for other test rides, I'm afraid the One D is off my wish list, whether it gets to the States or not (unless Peugot comes up with a better diesel engine).

I need this car to drive up mountain roads, sometimes in the snow. Seems like it's ok for driving in Britain, which is mostly flat, but it won't be much good in the Northeast US.

This is strictly an urban car, and gets best gas mileage at lower speeds. For highway miles, you might actually get better MPG in the regular Cooper.

I'm still hoping for a hybrid-electric with a battery to drive the rear wheels in the snow.

(Here's the early report on the One D from the Isle of Man launch

Certainly, I clocked up around 200 miles at the launch preview on the Isle of Man in a variety of conditions, including very economical 50mph driving on smooth and flat surfaces where the on-board computer returned only 38mpg; so don't hold your breath about achieving near 60s unless you have a very light right foot.

On the road the car feels good, although I thought the suspension took some getting used to. Its firmness is somewhere between the One and the Cooper S, and I felt I couldn't quite go along with MINI's description of it having "go-kart handling". Yes, firm certainly, and it stuck well to the road, but I've had much bigger thrills at a considerably lower speed with my bum barely an inch off the ground.

This Is The Snag, Though

What bothered me was the car's tendency towards sluggishness. Pulling away from start, especially on an incline, it was struggling, while fifth and sixth gears are largely left idle unless you hit a dual-carriageway or motorway for a long spell. Third is the most-used and flexible gear, and as this is a car designed for the city, it will fit an urban environment very nicely. To keep the torque manageable, automatic stability and traction control is a standard fitting along with electronic brake force distribution and cornering brake control.

[stevieb]

here's the URL of the article by Alan Douglas that I commented on:

http://www.carkeys.co.uk/launch/LA000203.htm

[johnny36]

Still haven't heard anything definite either way; but in hopes that BWM is planning to bring the MINI D to the US, both my brother and I would be getting one each. And I would be keeping my cooper as well.

diesel, diesel, diesel !!!

[coolmini]

I am renting a Toyota Prius hybrid & I think a hybrid Mini is a better solution than the diesel for the USA. The mileage I get now with the hybrid almost matches (& sometimes exceeds) most diesels. I do not have the odor, & the price of gasoline is about 30 CENTS A GALLON CHEAPER than diesel. Unless that changes, diesels are doomed to fail in the USA.
Too bad the Prius is such a strange car, I really enjoy driving it while I wait for my Mini to come back from the bodyshop. Its been 1 month now!

[monica]

Quote:

Originally posted by coolmini
...the price of gasoline is about 30 CENTS A GALLON CHEAPER than diesel. Unless that changes, diesels are doomed to fail in the USA.

But don't diesels last forever even with our sh*tty U.S. diesel gas? Maybe I'm romanticizing but I kind of get a twinge deep down when I hear a car do that ole' clang, clank knock. It's like it may not get there fast but it WILL get there.

[Beester]

Diesel are powerfull, the days of bad smelling, low power diesels are long gone. At least in Europe.

Belgium is one of the diesel countries... (more then 50% drives diesel), and most of the newer dieselpowered cars are more then a match or even better then the petrol versions thanks to their enormous pullingpower (newton/meter).

Seat leon cupra diesel (150bhp)
BMW 330cd (204 bhp)
VW Golf GTI TD (150 bhp)
Skoda octavia 1.9 tdi (130 bhp)
etc etc etc

Most of these cars will keep up or even pass most of the petrol engines

That said I ordered a cooper, because I found the 1.4 diesel engine just too nimble for my liking, it couldn't keep up with all the bigger diesels.

I don't think a COOPER tdi is a realistic project, the engine-bay is small as it is. To bad!