We have some good news for all the Mini Diesel fans that crave a more powerful model. A car that combines the elements of the sporty MINI Cooper S and the fuel-efficiency of the MINI Diesel has been spotted in testing, suggesting that a new MINI Cooper S Diesel is in the works.
The photos show a "Cooper SD" badge that may be the short name for the upcoming car, as the current Cooper diesel is known as the Cooper D in Europe. According to onlookers, the first prototype, spotted last November, featured a typical diesel sound, and like the Cooper S model it features a centrally mounted exhaust, as well as a slightly restyled front bumper. The new car shows it will be available as a Cabrio as well, which is no real surprise given MINI's current model lineup.
Output from the car’s uprated engine is expected to range somewhere between 140 and 150 horsepower.
MINI hasn’t announced plans for any such model but given the completed look of this prototype, it appears as though the fuel-efficient sports hatch could be in production by next year--and this one could even reach the U.S.
