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MINI Working on Secret 300 HP All-Wheel Drive Car - Report

BMW’s new B family of modular engines is apparently good enough to replace the old, familiar inline 6-cylinder 3-liter plants. The new 2-liter 4-cylinder units can purportedly develop up to 300 HP and more thanks to the new technology imbued in them. That means MINI could also get them in the near future.
MINI Clubman Concept 1 photo
Photo: MINI
Sounds too good to be true? Well, according to Motoring File, it isn’t. The new Clubman and Countryman models could get 300 HP 4-cylinder engines in 2015 and 2017, when they are due. Of course, with such high levels of power, the cars that will be getting these engines are obviously John Cooper Works versions.

Considering the size the two will have (the Countryman is nearly as big as a crossover SUV and the Clubman is not far) such a move would make sense. However, a lot of research and development will have to go into making sure there’s as little turbo lag as possible. That means that two turbos are most likely to be used at the same time.

That would automatically translate into a lot of money invested into the development of the new plant. Would it make sense to just use it on MINIs? No, absolutely not, but the same plant will be used on future BMW’s as well.

A while back we were reporting that the 330i nomenclature will make a comeback. While most people were ecstatic, hoping that this will bring about a new 6-cylinder inline engine, the car is probably going to use this exact 4-cylinder biturbo unit. Other models that will likely get it as well include the F48 X1, the X2 and 1 and 2 Series alternatives.
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