Toyota to supply engines to BMW?!!

[Lomeinhu]

According to Car and Driver:

"BMW to Buy Engines From Toyota
May 14, 2002
Page 1 of 1

Toyota has made a deal with BMW to provide the German automaker with diesel engines for BMW's popular Mini starting next year, The Associated Press reported.

Under the agreement, Toyota will supply between 10,000 and 20,000 engines to BMW per year.
The story said that BMW's strategy 'since selling loss-making Rover in 2000 has been to pursue alliances that allow it to grow while remaining independent.' "

I think this lowers the so called badge symbol of BMW; after all, who wants a BMW powerd by a non-BMW engine? Nothing against Toyota engines, but it'd be a pretty big disappointment when Mini owners find out that their cars are Japanese engine powered.

[Maelfyn]

I wonder what the point of that was. Not like mini didn't already have engines.

[gts24]

very interesting...............

[MfS]

That news is pretty old, I heard that a long time ago. I don't blame BMW for wanting Toyota diesel engines, the D4D's are awesome :) Lots of power and torque, and still very, very economical.

[SlasherX]

It's a Mini.

dropping a toyota engine into it is doing that car a FAVOR

[spwolf]

BMW doesnt have small 4-cl diesels, and Toyota actually got some new ones this year, for Yaris (small toyota sold in Europe)... decent engines... 1.4 D-4D has good emissions but it is not too high on power - 74 hp... I dont think it will be much slower than Mini One though

[SchumiFerrari]

A couple weeks ago I was listening to the radio on my way into work and their was an "Auto Motive Insight" blurb about BMW and Chrysler in regards to the mini... Basically the gist was --

When BMW first decided to bring back the Mini, they made a joint venture w/ Chrysler to develop a very efficient small 4 cylinder engine for their cars(namely the mini)... Well Chrysler ended up with the better design and the two companies adopted the it... Now enter DaimlerBenz... Daimler buys Chrysler Corp. .... obviously BMW and Mercedes are competetors so now BMW wants nothing to do w/ the engine because of Daimler and DaimlerChrysler won't touch the engine because of the BMW influence... So... The engine has been orphaned...

Thus (so I should think) this is where Toyota comes into the picture...

[spwolf]

sorry SchumiFerrari, but that has nothing to do with the truth... Chrysler/BMW opened factory in Brazil for new small engines - petrol only... right now they are producing engines for Mini One and Mini Cooper (not sure if Turbo is added in England or not for S). However, these are petrol engines, and not diesel... toyota sold BMW its diesel engine for Mini rather than BMW doing their own engine r&d, for low volume engine that will be sold only in Mini (none of the future BMW's will be so small, not to be able to fit their excellent 320d engine)...

[SchumiFerrari]

ahh ok I missed the part about it being Diesel engines... my bad

[Johan]

Smart move of BMW..................... if you can't beat them, join them...............

[Phil C]

The sad part of the whole thing is that BMW is stuck with the underperforming Pentax engine (co-developed by Chrysler and BMW and built in Brazil) for the next five years. BMW is contractually obligated to use that engine for at least five years a contract they desperately want out of so they don't share an engine with what is now D-C.

BMW needs to stay competitive and the best way to do that in Europe is to offer more diesel choices especially in small cars. Teaming with Toyota is a good deal for both sides. And they can be pretty sure Daimler Chrysler won't be buying Toyota any time soon.