An interesting rumor surfaced over at MotoringFile about something mentioned by Dr. Klaus Draeger, who is in charge of development at BMW. The source was originally in German as part of an interview, but he eluded to BMW’s interest in building two-cylinder engines for MINIs and perhaps even small BMWs. Apparently two is enough to yield approximately 500cc per cylinder which, paired, could generate a horsepower grade of 80-100HP.
Interesting stuff, when you combine it with the new BMW carbon fiber plant now online in Washington state. Perhaps with the carbon fiber body builds on the horizon, a material able to make car chassis 10 times lighter than steel but also stronger, our need for a thrilling ride will only require 2-cylinders thanks to the immense weight reductions the carbon fiber designs will provide. This could be an answer to the demand for higher MPG gains without having to add a hybrid engine, which does not yield the same gains as they do in larger, heavier cars. And if the proper amount of horsepower is there to produce a true MINI thrill, who cares how many cylinders are firing under the hood?
Time will tell whether this is a viable opportunity for BMW and MINI, or even if it is anything more concrete than a rumor. Stay posted to our site, and we’ll reveal the facts as they are announced.
