First Pre-Production MINI with BMW 2.0L Diesel Engine

While those of us that live in the U.S. are still waiting for the first MINI diesel model, the fellows in Europe have already been enjoying them for a while. But the big news today, according to Motoringfile, is that sources close to MINI indicate the first MINI model rolling down the production line at the Oxford Plant equipped with a 2.0 liter BMW diesel engine.

Don’t get your hopes up yet, the car is still in the pre-production/testing phase and the rumors of a MINI featuring BMW diesel engines have been going around since March when Autoblog reported their findings.

The MINI diesel powered vehicle tested at the Oxford plant was the R55 Clubman, which apparently was paired with the third generation 2.0 liter twin-turbo diesel from the BMW 123d, an engine that outputs 204 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. Fuel economy on the 123d is rated at 54 MPG.

Unfortunately, there is no confirmation on when we would see the first MINI diesel coming to the States, but the future does sound promising for all the MINI fans.