Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Common Interests an answer to what some of us have been asking

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Anyone who has been to Europe recently and rented, say, a BMW 7 Series or a Mercedes-Benz S-Class, or even a Volkswagen Beetle or Ford Focus, knows that today's diesels are far more civilized than our irascible Volkswagen Rabbit. In the past decade, diesel technology has revved ahead. It began with European consumers, who were motivated by gasoline prices at least twice those in the United States. European government officials, meanwhile, concerned about global warming, created tax breaks to encourage diesel car ownership (since diesels burn less fuel, they produce fewer of the greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, that contribute to climate change). Automakers responded by investing heavily in diesel research, and the new technologies that emerged have virtually eliminated the smell, noise, and power disadvantage of the diesel. Today, 35 percent of passenger vehicles sold in Europe are diesel-powered, and industry experts predict that portion will rise to 50 percent in the next decade.

In North America, however, only 2 to 3 percent of vehicles sold annually are diesel-powered, according to the Diesel Technology Forum, an industry trade group -- and most of those are commercial vehicles. Diesel is an attractive option for trucks because the fuel savings on gas-guzzling 18-wheelers can be tremendous. When it comes to diesel-powered passenger cars, however, only one is available in the United States: the Volkswagen Golf TDI. That is in part because American consumers, spoiled by cheap gas prices and hampered by enduring negative perceptions, have been down on diesels. In addition, diesel emissions have been specially targeted by U.S. regulators. Diesels spew high levels of nitrogen oxides, gases believed by some experts to be carcinogenic, as well as soot (or particulates), which contribute to the formation of smog. Whereas European pollution standards focus primarily on carbon dioxide emissions and so are achievable by diesel cars, new EPA regulations about to take effect in the United States aim specifically to reduce nitrogen oxides and particulates and will be more difficult for diesel manufacturers to meet.

Nevertheless, automakers are anxious to introduce more diesel-powered models in the United States. That's because SUVs, pickup trucks, and other vehicles that burn through gasoline have been selling so well in recent years, leaving car manufacturers struggling to meet U.S. fuel-economy standards. Those standards are calculated company-wide, which means that fuel-efficient diesels could conveniently offset the gluttony of their more wasteful brethren.

And if the strong sales of the Golf TDI and General Motors' new diesel-powered heavy-duty pickup trucks are any indication, U.S. consumers may be ready. Customers have waited up to six months for delivery of the GM trucks, which are equipped with Duramax diesel engines, and GM is planning to increase production by 50 percent -- to 150,000 diesel engines a year. A shift to diesel could be rather seamless for Detroit automakers, since they are already making diesel-powered vehicles and marketing them elsewhere. Ford, for example, sells a wide range of models abroad, including its economy-size Focus; Chrysler, meanwhile, sells diesel-powered minivans and Jeep Libertys in Europe.

The main appeal of the new diesels, industry proponents say, is that they're not only efficient but fun to drive. "The great success of diesels in Europe comes from much more than simply the engine's fuel economy," says Hermann Scholl, board chairman of Robert Bosch, a German automotive supplier. "The new generation of diesel engines delivers outstanding torque and acceleration -- appealing to people who love to drive." Rudolf Diesel, a French-born engineer, patented the idea for the diesel engine in 1892. What Diesel invented was an engine that was inherently more fuel-efficient than a gasoline engine. A gasoline engine works by taking in a mixture of gas and air, compressing it, and then igniting the mixture with a spark. A diesel engine, by contrast, takes in only air, compresses it, and then injects fuel into the compressed air. The heat of the compressed air lights the fuel spontaneously. Today's diesels deliver up to 30 percent more fuel economy than do gasoline engines. Diesel fuel, which is heavier and oilier than gasoline, has a higher energy density: A gallon of diesel fuel produces more energy than a gallon of gasoline.

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Originally posted by phil:

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Personally, I'd love to see a diesel minivan: Lots of torque makes sense for normal minivan use. A version of the Mercedes E-class diesel adapted for FWD use in a Chrysler minivan would be awesome. Plus it would make an awesome tow vehicle (I tow a popup camper with my minivan for family camping trips).

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Originally posted by XKontour98:

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I believe they are still producing VW Beetle/Jetta's/Passats Jeep Liberity's and some Audi's now, not just the Golf's.

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Originally posted by BloodyTomFlint:

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As Homer would say, mmmm, biodiesel
ARRRGH!!!

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Originally posted by We Todd:

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Originally posted by XKontour98:

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I believe they are still producing VW Beetle/Jetta's/Passats Jeep Liberity's and some Audi's now, not just the Golf's.

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I have an 05 Liberty CRD and rumor is that there won't be any CRDs for 07, and 08 is suppose to be introducing something they are calling BlueTec.

In Europe almost all the DC cars have the 2.5L or 2.8L CRD option.

I love my diesel Jeep. However, my g/f hates filling it up because the gas station attendants always run out and tell her she's at the wrong pump!

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Thats what happened to my friend when she bought one of the first Diesel New Beetle's in the area.

I hate the smell of Diesel fuel though