BMW Engine Starts Powering Toyota Cars

Remember the deal announced years ago on collaboration between BMW and Toyota in the product development? The agreement covers the adaption of BMW excellent turbo diesel engine to Toyota cars, synergy of hybrid powertrain development which is a forte of Toyota and jointly develop sports car for both marque. Now the first product has hit the production stream.

Starting from January 2014, Toyota Verso MPV can be spesified with the BMW-sourced 1.6L diesel. The mill is currently used in the likes of Mini One D and BMW 114d. In this application, the 1,598cc mill produces 111bhp@4,000rpm and 270Nm of torque from 1,750 - 2,250rpm. 

Packaging the engine in the chassis it was never destinated to go is quite a challenge. The team has developed new gearbox housing to match the RFOB (rear face of block) of BMW engine block, and insert the dual mass fly wheel while on the go. The chassis also has received a modified engine mountings and it was mentioned about the optimization of NVH can only go as far as the chassis allows. Toyota also engineered a new idle-stop system for this new powertrain application.

MINI Paceman -7th member of MINI family

MINI presents the world’s first Sports Activity Coupé in the premium small and compact vehicle segment, the  MINI Paceman. It is the seventh model in the brand family and offers an innovative combination of sporty, extrovert design, hallmark MINI driving fun and an exclusive interior ambience; unique, yet uniquely MINI.

The latest crossover was previewed at Detroit 2011, and it is an extension of the Countryman crossover-SUV, further crossed-breed with the coupe concept, giving birth to a two-door body, with higher-than-average ground clearance and with unmistakeable Countryman's nose.

The upright front end exudes power and presence; hexagonal radiator grille with broad chrome surround, black bordering on the lower edge of the body and other typically MINI design elements with an individual touch; coupé-style stretched side profile with long doors, dynamically downward-sloping roofline and greenhouse tapering towards the rear; muscular flared wheel arches with distinctive helmet roof form adapted from MINI Coupe. It is aft the longer front door where the Paceman differs greatly from the Countryman. There is a more pronounced hunches accommodating wider wheel arch, steeply raked rear screen and a redesigned rear fascia.

The interior mirrors those on the MINI Countryman, right down the separated rear seat. While you can have the 5 seater version on the Countryman, it is strictly 4 seater coziness here. The boot volume is practical 330L, expandable to 1,080L with the folded rear seats.

There are four variants of Paceman available from the launch namely Cooper Paceman, Cooper S Paceman, Cooper D Paceman and Cooper SD Paceman. All variants come with a six-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic as an option while MINI ALL4 all-wheel-drive system available for the MINI Cooper S Paceman, MINI Cooper SD Paceman and MINI Cooper D Paceman. More details after the jump.