Thursday 1st July 2010

Mid-Engined V18 Mini Revealed

UK's biggest diesel engine makes Mini look like an ancillary unit

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Cummins V18 has 12 turbochargers

Fans of Mini and/or gargantuan diesel motors should find this quirky exhibit worth a double-take if they're visiting the Goodwood FoS this weekend.

We've Cummins to thank for the spectacle because aside from being the world's largest independent maker of diesel engines, they also appear to have a sense of humour.

The exhibit was conceived after a previous event when the company showed off its largest engine (and the largest diesel engine made in the UK), and some wag asked if it could be fitted to his Mini.

The QSK78 engine weighs in at over 11 tonnes and is er, quite large, so an extended wheelbase and supercar-style mid-mounted application was the only option.

"We never like to let a challenge go by unanswered so we got to thinking maybe we could fit the QSK78 into an original Austin Mini. It proved to be a bit tricky to fit under the bonnet but our engineers came up with a more creative solution," says Steve Nendick, Cummins' spokesman.

The QSK78, which is used to power mining industry dump trucks capable of carrying 360 tonnes, is a V18 monster with a capacity of 78 litres and uses 12 turbochargers (count 'em!) to develop 3500bhp and around 10,300lb ft of torque.

[Zircon]

Well it is no good if it doesn't actually power the car!

That's like saying 'yeah I put a jet engine on a microlite, but it would just rip it to pieces'.

What they have achieved is a big diesel engine on a Mini-shaped trolley!

[R66STU]

The standard fuel tank wont last long

[Chris-R]

Zircon said:

Well it is no good if it doesn't actually power the car!

That's like saying 'yeah I put a jet engine on a microlite, but it would just rip it to pieces'.

What they have achieved is a big diesel engine on a Mini-shaped trolley!

Must admit I'd rather they'd brought along one of the dump trucks - but I guess the stand space is paid for by the square metre...

[CraigyMc]

Zircon said:

Well it is no good if it doesn't actually power the car!

That's like saying 'yeah I put a jet engine on a microlite, but it would just rip it to pieces'.

What they have achieved is a big diesel engine on a Mini-shaped trolley!

I'm pretty sure it can't move at all. the engine is 11 tons, so that would be somewhere about 3 tons per wheel. Do you suppose there's anything that size which could take the load? (You'd need solid wheels - it would look more like a train bogey.)

[Huntsman]

You miserable gits.

Good on them for bringing such a fun monster bit of kit.

[anonymous-user]

I hope they start that up at some point. Looking forward to seeing that!

[hurststeve]

Silly. Like the earlier poster said, it's just an engine on a trolley. And a fixed speed engine at that. With four turbochargers, not twelve.

OK, twelve. And not fixed speed. But it's still an engine on a trolley with no cooling system or exhausts.

Edited by hurststeve on Thursday 1st July 10:36

[407nomates]

Chris-R said:

Must admit I'd rather they'd brought along one of the dump trucks - but I guess the stand space is paid for by the square metre...

Having worked alongside them, I can confidently say that getting one of those into the FOS would be tantamount to an impossibility.

http://www.komatsu.com/ce/products/pdfs/KAC_960E-1...

[bales]

hurststeve said:

Silly. Like the earlier poster said, it's just an engine on a trolley. And a fixed speed engine at that. With four turbochargers, not twelve.

Have you even looked at the picture?

Maybe have a re-count of the turbo's.

[300bhp/ton]

Very cool where's the PH O'meter??? Reckon this needs an 11 out of 10 for shear barmyness!!! Love it truly



BTW - should a WAG be referred to as "his car" or "her car", or have I missed something?

[lodgy]

i made them turbos

[DanGPR]

Turbo for every 1.5 cylinders? Odd decision?

[louismchuge]

it's not even a trolley as it cant be wheeled around. It's just on a bloody great plinth if you look underneath!

Still, hats of to them for having a laugh!

[308mate]

DanGPR said:

Turbo for every 1.5 cylinders? Odd decision?

Think of it more as one turbo for every 6.4litres of displacement.

[GingerWizard]

thats the biggest swap i'v seen to date.... Good effort!

[308mate]

doogz said:

6.5 maybe?

It's still early, but there's no excuse for getting that wrong!

http://www.everytime.cummins.com/assets/pdf/408714...

6.4666 if the brochure is to be believed.

[CraigyMc]

hurststeve said:

Silly. Like the earlier poster said, it's just an engine on a trolley. And a fixed speed engine at that. With four turbochargers, not twelve.

Er, if it's fixed speed, why do cummins give peak power and peak torque values at different RPM? (1900rpm and 1500rpm respectively)

http://www.everytime.cummins.com/assets/pdf/408714...

C

[ctallchris]

Huntsman said:

You miserable gits.

Good on them for bringing such a fun monster bit of kit.

i thought it was a motor show not an agricultural / mining equipment symposium. I don't think there are any vehicles that og on uk roads with v18 diesils like that. Even larger lorries are generally a bit smaller. Although i may just be a little bit disappointed that there is no palns for a mid engined mini

i would be happy with a v6/8

[RB26DETT]

I think they ruined a Mini. Atleast they should make it drivable.

Now its just a huge paper weight.

[red_slr]

Cummins have lots of very good diesel truck motors that they could have actually got into the back of a mini and run up the hill. Instead they decide to weld the front and rear of a mini onto a static display engine. ????? :/