72 MPG with Mini D

This aspect alone, over 19 seconds for 0-62, is enough to sour appeal to the point of preventing most from having any interest.

Simply reducing vehicle & engine size isn't enough for the masses. History has already proven that.

For a solution to be accepted on the grand scale, compromise must be minimal at best. So a Mini that offers 72 MPG at the huge sacrifice of interior space and vehicle power doesn't stand a chance.

As a specialty car, fine. But expecting sales on the magnitude of Toyota's next major goal (1,000,000 hybrids annually), forget it.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(john1701a @ Jun 9 2007, 11:44 PM) [snapback]459013[/snapback]</div>

The reviews I've read claim 0-100kph in about 13.5 seconds so it is only 1 second slower than my TDI Jetta or a Civic Hybrid. Since I very rarely floor my TDI I can't see that this would be an issue.

Reducing size is the obvious solution for a population that commutes large distances to work alone. Most people only commute by themselves so there is no reason for a large car. The mini sits 2 people just fine.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jhinton @ Jun 10 2007, 09:06 AM) [snapback]459127[/snapback]</div>

My bad. I mixed up the Smart-CDi and the Mini-D... since they both had +70 MPG announcements the same week. The Smart is the slow one. Mini probably does hold its own just fine.

The point is the same though. Convincing a market obsessed with monster-size vehicles to switch to commute-size vehicles would be a miracle. And it wouldn't happen quickly regardless.

It's the technology paradigm that stands the greatest chance of success on the large scale, since midsize vehicles are the most practical and the best target for change acceptance.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lupin..the..3rd @ Jun 9 2007, 09:13 PM) [snapback]459004[/snapback]</div>

And if you read a little further you'll see that it's referring to 72 IMPERIAL gallons per mile which is about 60 US gallons. Don't get me wrong though. I applaud any auto maker that finally wakes up and makes the changes that are mentioned in this article.

 

Forgive my ignorance, but what is so hard about just bringing over the D variant anyway?

Even if they only sell 1,000 a year, thats still likely 1,000 they wouldnt have sold. They might even be able to charge a slight premium. Furthermore, any advertisments for the Diesel could either be integrated into current print ads or tacked on the of a tv commercial "now with 72mpg diesel". At the very least this would help out the image of Mini, as well as bringing it up more in the news and possibly increasing word of mouth discussions about their vehicles.

Its still made in the same place, they could still ship it on the same boat, and they can still sell it at the same place.


Whats the big challenge?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Jonathan Rohr @ Jun 11 2007, 10:34 AM) [snapback]459589[/snapback]</div>

Just a guess here: On the scale of a giant auto maker, they might feel that 1,000 a year isn't worth it. Or there might be infrastructure issues, such as training mechanics nation-wide to work on an engine that most of those mechanics will never see, or even printing shop manuals for every dealer nation-wide when only one percent of those dealers will ever need it, as well as stocking parts that will mostly never be used.

I'd say it's probably an issue of scale. Below a certain volume it's just not worth it. Once they believe they can sell enough of them, they'll bring it in. I cannot see myself ever buying a diesel, though. Save a few pennies and fill the air I have to breathe with soot? No thanks.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(lupin..the..3rd @ Jun 11 2007, 05:42 PM) [snapback]459770[/snapback]</div>

NOx is still significantly higher though.

Use the emission ratings for proper comparison. SULEV & PZEV indicate what's truly clean.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(daniel @ Jun 11 2007, 01:13 PM) [snapback]459622[/snapback]</div>

You also have the whole BMW / MINI marketing message of performance. The Mini is sold as a performance hot-hatch. BMW has no intention off changing that by selling a diesel version that is twice as slow to 60 mph as the gasoline versions even if it does get 60 mpg. The gasoline version is advertised at 40 mpg and for most people that are getting 15 to 25 mpg, 40mpg sounds great.

My wife and I looked at a Mini before we got the Prius because she absolutely loves them. We took one for a spin but decided against it because it only got 35 mpg highway and requires premium fuel. The salesman thought we were nuts to complain about "only 35 mpg" until we pointed to our VW TDI wagon and said, "that car is twice the size and gets 50 to 55 mpg on the highway".