MINI Diesel Rumored for US Launch, JCW May Become Sub-Brand
MINI has been experiencing tremendous success in America and it appears that the cute British brand has no plans to slow down. There are now reports that MINI is strongly considering bringing its diesel powerplants to the U.S. and could be turning John Cooper Works into a sub-brand tuning division, similar to BMW‘s M models.
MINI global brand manager Kay Segler recently told Car and Driver that they’re listening to America’s demand for MINI diesel models and that they are “looking into this not for the short term, but for the medium term.” Which basically means America could be seeing a diesel MINI in the next few years, possibly when the third generation model arrives.
In the same interview, Segler also spoke on how he would like John Cooper Works (JCW) to become for MINI what the M brand has become for BMW. That could lead to interesting models from JCW, which would include more potent powerplants and we never complain about more performance.
The major downside of the interview? Selger confirmed that AWD still isn’t on the radar for MINIs (Countryman aside), stating that it’s currently too expensive to implement without a large sales volume increase. Either way, we’re just glad that MINI isn’t sitting around enjoying their American success but rather looking for ways to build on it.
[Source: Car & Driver]
Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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Please bring in the Mini Diesel to the USA!! If VW can offer Diesel options on their Jetta and Passat models, so can BMW!
Don't know how much time I have left on this planet, but every car company always says next year!