N12B16 1.6
The naturally aspirated Prince engine from the BMW and PSA venture, port-injected and reasonably willing. It shares the family's timing chain weakness, so the rattle test at a cold start applies here as much as it does to the turbo.
| Configuration | I4, naturally aspirated | Displacement | 1598 cc |
| Fuel | petrol | Injection | port |
| Shared components | Prince timing chain | ||
Cars using this engine
| Variant | Chassis | Body | Years | Power | Risk | Good buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooper | R56 | hatchback | 2006–2010 | 120 PS | R4 | €4,200 |
Engine and component issues
A rattle from the front of the engine for the first seconds after a cold start, and later a rough idle or a fault code for camshaft timing. The chain and its tensioner on the BMW and PSA Prince family stretch with age and heat cycles rather than with distance. Once the chain is slack it can skip a tooth, and that damages valves.
Check: Start the car from stone cold and listen carefully through the first five seconds. Any rattle means the work is due, so ask for a receipt rather than accepting an assurance.
Chassis, gearbox and body issues aren't listed here. They depend on which car the engine is fitted to. Open a variant page for the merged list.