Toyota signs agreement with BMW to supply engines for Mini

FRANKFURT, Germany - German automaker BMW has signed an agreement with Toyota Motor Corp. under which the Japanese firm will supply diesel engines for BMW&#39;s new-look Mini starting next year, a spokesman said Monday. <br> <br> The agreement, signed on Friday, provides for the supply of between 10,000 and 20,000 engines per year, BMW spokesman Michael Rebstock said, confirming a report in the Financial Times. He declined to give financial details of the deal. <br> <br> The Japanese and German car makers have been in talks for more than a year. <br> <br> BMW&#39;s strategy since selling loss-making Rover in 2000 has been to pursue alliances that allow it to grow while remaining independent. At the same time, Japanese car makers have been beefing up production of diesel engines, whose popularity in Europe has soared over the past few years. <br> <br> The revived Mini was launched last July, and BMW will start selling Minis equipped with diesel engines next year. <br> <br>