Mini Monster: Cummins Packs 18-Cylinder Diesel Into Custom Mini

The idea was born when a glib bystander took one look at Cummins' massive QSK78 turbo-diesel engine, and said he'd like to put that under the hood of his Mini Cooper.

"We never like to let a challenge go by unanswered," said Cummins spokesman Steve Nendick, "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."

Arguably, the QSK78 itself is as wild as the entire idea. According to Cummins, the engine is a 78-liter, turbo-diesel V-18. We can't emphasize the "turbo" prefix enough -- after all, the engine has no less than 12 turbochargers bolted onto it. The forced induction helps the 11-ton engine pump out 3500 horsepower and over 10,300 pound-feet of torque, which is more than sufficient for its usual role: powering a loaded-down mining dump truck.

It's certainly a cool piece of sculpture, but we'd give Cummins more credit if it were actually crazy enough to try and get this contraption running. Since we can't see a cooling system or any transmission bolted to the QSK's bellhousing, it's a safe bet the mega-Mini will simply remain a static display.

Source: Cummins