مصر موتورز مجتمع السيارات - BMW & Peugeot Announce New Engine Range

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BMW & Peugeot Announce New Engine Range

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Here's some news that gives us a glimpse into the future of the MINI range. BMW and PSA have released preliminary information regarding the new range of engines (code named Prince) that will power, among other things, the next generation of MINIs. Here's the press release:

“BMW Group and PSA Peugeot Citroen have unveiled the state-of-the-art technologies deployed in their new gasoline engines, the first to be jointly developed and produced by their cooperative venture.
Announced in July 2002, the two Companies' cooperation in gasoline engines is now setting new standards for performance, driving comfort and reductions in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
Beginning in 2006, the engines will equip small and mid-size cars produced by the Peugeot and Citroen marques as well as future models of the MINI. Production is expected to eventually total roughly one million units a year.

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At a special technology day at BMW Group's Research and Development Center in Munich, executives from both companies presented the technical features of two types of engines:
A 1.6-liter atmospheric engine with a variable valve timing distribution and a power output of 85 kW (115 hp).

A 1.6-liter direct injection, compressed turbo engine with a power output of 105 kW (143 hp). The new models are the first in a family that will eventually comprise engines delivering a range of power outputs from 55 kW (75 hp) to 125 kW (170 hp).

http://motoringfile.com/pictures/R56_engine6.jpg As a result of both group's expertise, these engines offer a large number of new features including:
Variable valve timing.

Fully controlled oil pump.

Single belt drive for all ancillary components.

Cylinder heads produced by lost foam casting.

In addition, several innovations have been developed, including:
Direct injection to optimize power.

Twin-Scroll turbocharger to improve response time and driving comfort.

Self-disengaging water pump to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.

http://motoringfile.com/pictures/R56_engine7.jpg The co-operation between BMW Group and PSA Peugeot Citroen clearly demonstrates that gasoline engines still offer a great potential of technological progress, thus contributing to the reduction of consumption and CO2 emissions while enhancing the car performances and its related driving pleasure.”

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What's that? You swear you've seen these specs before? Well if you're a dedicated MotoringFile or MINI2 reader you did almost exactly a year ago.
While the specs very closely follow what was posted on previously, they differ somewhat from what we've read recently in AutoExpress. Specifically there's no mention of a 200hp engine as a 170hp version is the highest listed.
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BMW was keen to get out of the Chrysler joint venture the minute Mercedes swallowed them up several years back.
Further BMW has wanted to extend some of their own engine technologies in the MINI range. With technologies like direct injection and variable valve timing they will soon have that.
The problem with developing engines is always development costs. With MINI ROVER, BMW doesn't have the volume to justify the cost of developing an entirely new line of engines. However with BMW partnering with PSA they can share those costs and in the end offer a hi-tech engine with loads of development expense that they otherwise wouldn't have been able to offer.
And these engines will be built in the UK and not in Brazil.
It really seems like a win win.