Gojirra99

via egmcartech

Press Release:

72.4 mpg. 104 g/km C02. No batteries required.

MINI hatch models are to receive technological revisions later this year, resulting in jaw-dropping performance and efficiency figures. Already BMW Group’s cleanest ever car, the MINI Cooper D will be capable of returning an astonishing 72.4mpg, with CO2 emissions of just 104 g/km.

When production of the revised models begins in August 2007, there will be no requirement for alternative fuel sources or hybrid technology to achieve these stunning stats. All model variants will instead be supplied as standard with high-tech engine tweaks, providing exceptional economy and minimal emissions without compromising the MINI driving experience.

Brake Energy Regeneration, Auto Start-Stop Function and Switch Point Display complete a package that will come at no extra cost to future MINI customers.

Brake Energy Regeneration works by using an Intelligent Alternator Control (IAC) and an Absorbent Glass Mat battery to recycle previously lost energy, which saves fuel. The IAC reduces drag on the engine by only engaging when required to charge the battery, whereas a traditional alternator is always pulling power from the engine. Additionally, the energy generated by the engine on over-run (under braking or descending a hill) was previously wasted. Now this lost energy is utilised by the IAC to charge the battery.

The Auto Start-Stop Function, available with manual transmission cars, automatically switches the engine off when the vehicle is stationary and the driver puts the car into neutral. To restart the driver only need engage the clutch again before pulling away in the normal manner. The system may be de-activated at the touch of a button when not required.

Switch Point Display aids drivers of manual transmission MINIs in selecting the most economical gear in which to drive. The engine management system analyses speed, road situation and accelerator pedal position and based on this data calculates optimum gearing. The ideal gear is then displayed by number in the cockpit display.

Even without these technology advancements in place, MINI leads the new car market for year-on-year improvements in clean engine manufacturing. C02 output per car has been reduced in the last year by an impressive 14 per cent. Putting that into perspective, the industry average was recorded at a lowly 0.3 per cent.

To put the icing on the cake for customers, MINI Cooper D owners will continue to benefit from the car falling into VED tax band B. So savings are not only made in carbon emissions, but at the fuel pumps and the Post Office when replacing an annual road fund licence too. Little wonder then that MINI UK is again celebrating a month of record car sales !

PhantomZX

Big Andy

They've introduced these features to the BMW 118d now and it gets over 60mpg. In fact if my IS250 auto had these features would we need hybrids?

Och

iTrader: (3)

LOL, the auto start/stop system on a regular engine... good luck in NYC traffics. Not even talking about killing the starter. Good thing it has an option to shut this feature off.

And the switch point delay is a gimmick, good enough driver should know better which gear to drive in. Prius has an auto transmission that does that selects optimum gear automatically.

And their brake energy regeneration system is neat, but nowhere near as efficient as Toyota's hybrid system.

The bottom line, yeah, that Mini is fuel efficient, but it's efficient not because of the technologies, but because its a diesel, and because its very small. The Prius in comparison is much bigger and runs on regular gasoline, and the new Prius will probably return even better fuel economy.

JessePS

One thing whats the CO2 from the Prius anyways.

Thats another thing manufactures should put out more often when you by a car is the CO2 emissions.

One thing I just found the Prius is 92g/km. Still way less than the new Cooper D.

AzNMpower

I think CO2 emissions from cars in the US is a non-issue. If people were so worried about tailpipe emissions, let them enforce the black-smoke bleching dump trucks and semi-tractor trailers first. They're the ones causing the pollution.

I'm not big on the hybrid craze. I'd rather see better development of existing petrol and diesel engines to squeeze more power and efficiency out of them.

Just note: The UK has a slightly different MPG system than the US. Their numbers translate to something slightly lower in our system (for some reason).

CK6Speed

iTrader: (1)

I think there are two types of Hybrid car buyers. The truely green car buyer that is contious of the envronmental impact, and the ones that just want great fuel economy. This mini will appeal to those that just want great fual economy and don't really care about what is coming out of the tail pipe just as long as it meets current laws.

Big Andy

It's not a different system it's just a US gallon is smaller than a UK gallon.

JessePS

I would love too see that happen.

Bean

iTrader: (1)

Yup, and by the UK standards, the next-gen prius was reportedly getting over 100mpg

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

Yup. UK (Imperial) gallon is 20% bigger than a U.S. gallon.

So 72.4mp(Imperial)g = 58mpg (U.S.)

Nextourer

what he said. Wouldn't this be a MINI hybrid then?

Nextourer

not sure where you got the number but the current Prius puts out 105g/km

Nextourer

Same here. Then I'd apply the new efficient engines to hybrid technology.

I don't know about you but I'm sure a non-hybrid cannot glide with the engine off for a couple of kms with the engine off. You surely can't tell me that travelling that far with the engine off is not being fuel efficient.


In case you're wondering, I'm not making this up. There is a stretch of road on my commute back home from school that lets me travel that far (if I catch the traffic lights correctly and traffic is anything but heavy)

TRDFantasy

Exactly. I don't see this as significant. Apples to apples, comparing the estimated economy for the next-gen Prius and this Mini D based on UK standards, the Prius still wins in economy.