MINI Turbo

MINI Turbo: from the PSA-sourced 1.6 N47 and EP6 to BMW's B46 and B47 blocks – which turbo fits which generation?

The question matters because MINI changed engine supplier mid-range: the R55/R56/R57/R58/R59/R60 generations were built around engines developed through the PSA-BMW partnership, whereas the later generations (F54/F55/F56/F60 and beyond) switched to BMW's own in-house blocks. A 1.6 D N47C16 turbo is therefore not interchangeable with a B47C20, and an EP6 petrol unit shares no references whatsoever with a B46 or B48.

Diesel blocks: three families, three distinct turbos

The 1.6 One D 90 hp is based on the engine code N47C16A (also referred to as N47C16 / N47 C16 A depending on the nomenclature used in the vehicle's documentation). The 1.6 Cooper D 110 hp comes from the PSA partnership: engine codes 9HZ and DV6TED4, a Ford-PSA variable-geometry block whose turbo vanes clogged by EGR deposits represent the most widely documented failure mode on this engine. The Cooper D and Cooper SD in more recent generations move to the B47C20A and B47C20B: 2.0 engine capacity, a completely different architecture, and a turbo that is incompatible with the 1.6 units above.

Petrol blocks: EP6 and N14 on one side, B46/B48 on the other

The 1.6 Cooper S and the 1.6 John Cooper Works 211 hp still belong to the PSA-BMW era. The JCW is based on the N14B16C, whilst the Cooper S 1.6 uses engine codes EP6CDTS and EP6DTS. These wastegate turbos have a well-documented history of oil-side seal failures on the sump housing, often made worse by a clogged lubrication circuit — the root cause must be addressed before any replacement is carried out. The 2.0 Cooper S 192 hp, engine codes B46A20A and B48A20A, is an entirely separate BMW architecture: fixed-geometry turbo, with manufacturer references bearing no relation to the EP6.

Identifying the correct reference for a MINI

The engine code stamped on the block remains the definitive reference, as several power variants can coexist on the same body style — most notably on the Countryman, available in both Cooper D and Cooper SD depending on the year. All turbos offered in this EDEN BOITES collection are new parts sold as a direct sale, with no old unit to return. Before fitting, checking the condition of the oil circuit (strainer, feed hoses) is essential on EP6 and N47 blocks, which are well known to be sensitive on this point.