In a move that could be good news for local Mini and diesel lovers, Mini has released information on what will be its most powerful turbodiesel engine yet. And while it is true that South Africans haven’t been exposed to any turbodiesel Minis yet, that may change later this year.
In Europe the entire Mini line-up of hatch, convertible, Clubman and Countryman models will be available with the new 2,0-litre powerplant that develops 105 kW and 305 N.m. In the form of the Mini Cooper, it will be called the Cooper SD and you can expect to reach 100 km/h from standstill in 8,1 seconds on the way to a top speed of 215 km/h.
Even so, Mini claims it will only use 4,3 litres/100 km. This means a CO2 figure of 114 g/km, which obviously exempts this specific car from the South African government’s CO2 tax. Even the bigger and heavier Mini Countryman will only use between 4,6 and 4,9 litres/100 km, depending drivetrain choice.
Mini’s spokesperson couldn’t confirm if this engine will find its way into the local line-up. But our sources suggest we can expect to see the first turbodiesel Mini in SA before the end of the year.
Mini is also taking its customisation program to a new level. It offers one of the most thorough and elaborate option lists available and now it has attached a name to it. Called “Mini Yours”, the launch of the new program coincides with the introduction of a special edition Clubman, called the Hampton. The Mini Clubman Hampton, named after the suburb in south west London, will feature an extensive number of different features. It starts off with a special reef blue metallic paint hue accentuated by silver lining on the rear doors and wheels. Other colours will also be available. The word “Hampton” will also be used selectively on the side indicator surrounds and radiator grille. Mini has confirmed that South Africans will be able to purchase this special edition from next month.
Lastly, Mini buyers can now add a John Cooper Works pack to their hatch and convertible models. This will include style and technical updates. In the case of the Mini Cooper S, power will be up by 12 kW to 147 kW and torque to 270 N.m when the overboost function is used. This will bring the Cooper S closer in terms of performance to the top of the range Cooper JCW.