By accessing this website, you acknowledge that Edmunds and its third party business partners may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to collect information about you and your interactions with the website as described in our
Privacy Statement, and you agree that your use of the website is subject to our
Visitor Agreement.
Comments
VW group is also Porsche/ Audi/ Skoda/ Seat.
No one wants to lose 1bn (it would certainly cramp my style ) but they are only really in trouble in the US.
Yes it's a lot of money to lose in just one market. I'm not dissing VW or their owners. But VW is having very real problems and they need to make a comeback.
As far as the engines being reliable from another post well that's good but my experience has been that VW's tend to break and i's usually pain in the butt things.
I'd love to find a really nice and helpful VW dealer and I will look when I get back to the US but it will still be the same dealers, but they've had over 4 years to change so hopefully they will be worth looking at again. I think many people got burned by VW and I'm not even talking about the air cooled guys. I was one of those guys that got burned but I really did like the car.
I'm glad to know there is a decent dealer out there. But the 3,000 mile commute would kind of reek havoc with my fuel bills
I'm going to be over in New Hampshire and I haven't found a good VW dealer in that area in all the years I've looked. :sick:
... This is a moot point because it would not pass soon to be NOx regs but I'd like to see a comparison if they would build close to the same engine without EGR but more compression, a little more rattle in the injection timing and some more available boost (not necessarily at cruising but for passing). Then look at a slight increase in NOx but with better MPG and less GHG. Of course the regs are one of the main reasons we are so far behind in product availabilty here in the States.
2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])
1.8 Liters, 240bhp, 295 lb/ft and 40mpg in a vehicle as heavy as an S-class. According to Mercedes, this is the future of gasoline engines. Featuring direct injection, a turbocharger, variable compression and a hybridized starter motor, the DiesOtto engine would be impressive with these features alone. The real innovation, however, is the controlled auto ignition, a combustion process similar to that of a diesel engine. No word yet on when it goes into production or in which vehicles it'll be used. Full press release after the jump.
Stuttgart - The performance of a gasoline engine, the high torque and fuel economy of a state-of-the-art diesel together with extremely clean emissions: Mercedes-Benz has combined all the advantages of both engine types in its DiesOtto powertrain. The new technology package, which stands for the future of the gasoline engine, includes features such as direct gasoline injection, turbocharging and a variable compression. At the core of this innovation lies the controlled auto ignition, a highly efficient combustion process similar to that of a diesel. By way of another advantage, and in contrast to comparable developments, the Mercedes system requires no synthetic fuels but can be operated using conventional gasoline. Optimising the internal combustion engine is one of the milestones on the Mercedes-Benz roadmap for sustainable mobility. BLUETEC has already made it possible for Mercedes engineers to make the powerful and economical diesel as clean as the gasoline engine. In the US this technology has already been available in the E-Class since 2006, and it will also become available in Europe from the end of this year. The E 300 BLUETEC will be by far the cleanest diesel in its class, and will meet the requirements of the EU5 exhaust emission standards in full. "Our next goal will now be to make the gasoline engine as economical as a diesel. All the preconditions for this are provided by our DiesOtto concept, which incorporates the foremost strengths of both the gasoline engine and diesel engine," says Prof. Dr. Herbert Kohler, Head of Group Research & Advanced Engineering Vehicle and Powertrain; Chief Environmental Officer of DaimlerChrysler. The result of this " marriage " is a four-cylinder unit with a displacement of just 1.8 litres, which combines the strengths of the low-emission gasoline engine with the fuel economy of a diesel. Despite its considerably reduced displacement - downsizing is one of the major factors for achieving a lower fuel consumption - this compact power unit delivers superior performance together with refinement at the level of the luxury class. An output of 175 kW/238 hp and a maximum torque of 400 newton metres are achieved together with the hybridisation a fuel consumption of less than six litres of gasoline per 100 kilometres.
Does VW have problem dealerships. Yep and so does Toyota and all.
If you want to pay twice the price of a Passat TDI for a Mercedes 320 CDI do so but I don't think you will get your $$$$$'s worth.
As much as I am looking forward to the diesel Honda Accord platform, I would NOT buy the first year cTDI.
I already have one review up on that and I will add some more reviews later but unless the experience was either really great or really horrific then I'd rather give the dealership another chance by going in in person as it will have been over 4 years since I have set foot in a US dealership. My last car a WRX the dealer was very good to ma and service was good but not great.
So the last 2 cars I will put up but other than that I'm willing to give them another chance and walk in their door and see if there is any improvement.
If yes or no I will post it. I find these dealer reviews to be extremely helpful. The only problem is when the dealers post all glowing reviews about themselves as they did on one dealer review site.
People with high cholesterol are especially vulnerable to heart disease when they are exposed to diesel exhaust and other ultra-fine particles that are common pollutants in urban air.
Although diet, smoking and other factors contribute to the risk of cardiovascular disease — the leading cause of death in the Western world — scientists have long believed that air pollution, particularly tiny pieces of soot from trucks and factories, plays a major role, too.
For years, scientists around the world have reported that on days when fine-particle pollution increases, deaths from lung diseases, heart attacks and strokes rise substantially. Riverside County and the San Gabriel Valley have among the worst fine-particle pollution in the nation.
The scientists say their study, conducted on human cells as well as on mice, is the first to explain how particulates in the air activate genes that can cause heart attacks or strokes.
The researchers exposed human blood cells to a combination of diesel particles and oxidized fats, then extracted their DNA. Working together, the particles and fats switched on genes that cause inflammation of blood vessels, which leads to clogged arteries, or atherosclerosis.
The team then duplicated the findings in living animals by exposing mice to a high-fat diet and freeway exhaust in downtown Los Angeles. The same artery-clogging gene groups were activated in the mice.
The scientists reported that diesel particles may enter the body's circulatory system from the lungs, and then react with fats in the arteries to alter how genes are activated, triggering inflammation that causes heart disease.
Other research has shown similar inflammatory damage in lungs exposed to fine particles. Diesel exhaust has also been linked to lung cancer, asthma attacks and DNA damage.
Bring on the CLEAN diesels but please let's park the dirty ones.......
Another link with slightly different information:
Forbes story
Makes a huge difference. Anything can be spun depending on how it is presented.
The team then duplicated the findings in living animals by exposing mice to a high-fat diet and freeway exhaust in downtown Los Angeles.In many urban areas, including the Los Angeles region, ultra-fine particles are the most concentrated near freeways, mostly from diesel exhaust, which is spewed by trucks, buses, off-road vehicles and other vehicle engines.
For decades, California and local air-quality regulators have been ratcheting down particulate emissions from trucks and other sources, but the airborne levels in most of the Los Angeles region still frequently exceed federal health standards.
"There are a few hot spots throughout the country that compete with Los Angeles from time to time, but in general, we tend to have the highest levels here," Nel said.
That would put the exhaust used in the test as coming from what sources?
Passenger diesels? Probably.
Low sulfur diesel? Since it was LA, probably.
Commercial diesels? Probably.
Off-road diesels? Maybe.
Airborne ship exhaust from the Port of LA? Probably.
These are scientists, not politicians.....nothing has been SPUN for any reason.
Why didn't they mention that a modern diesel using ULSD is not the issue? By not doing that they have not told the whole story. Only what they want to put forth to further their agenda.
Trying to make me feel sorry for some one that clogs his arteries eating McDonald's burgers, is lame. They gonna die anyway sooner than the average. Blaming it on someone trying to use less fossil fuel makes NO sense whatsoever. Where did they find these scientists?
I trust them to be objective as much as the GW bunch.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
I think the report fairly states that high levels of particulate pollution mixed with pre-dispositions to major illness produce (surprise) major illness.
Linking it to the past of commercial diesel is fair, suggesting that it is relevant to future diesel emissions is not.
I can't help thinking also that the LA basin is such a catch-all for pollution that these scientists are picking up every single cancer trigger out there.
Truly this is the scientific documentation of the HUGE HUGE HUGE mistake (2 or so generations ago) NOT to regulate and cut the high sulfur content in high sulfur diesel AND to NOT mitigate those generators!!!! School buses, Jet airliners, ships, construction and farm equipments to be a few examples. ALL of these (sans the beta testing of nat gas and fuel cell hydrogen buses) CONTINUE to be unmitigated and still burn high to highest sulfur diesel!!!! Germane to the discussion is diesel passenger vehicles are regulated and mitigated.
Sort of why the China cigarette manufacturing etc, etc, etc, capability is owned and operated and taxed by the STATE!!??
How about the polio vaccine? An Agenda behind it?
How about aspirin? An Agenda?
What this particular science did was discover that particulate matter in air pollution (regardless of the source of the particulate matter mind you) exacerbates the effects of what high cholesterol does to clogging arteries.
Here is the website with the PDF research paper:
Read this PDF
You can see that these are just researchers who were curious as to why ambient air pollution has been known to be associated with higher rates of cardiovascular deaths and went looking for the reasons WHY that was happening.
They were not setting out on some sort on Anti-Diesel Research Agenda - My Lord Above, why would they have done that? Don't you think High IQ medical researchers in the prime of their careers have better things to do than go on some sort of "diesel witch hunt?"
An for those who question the source of the DEP (diesel exhaust particles) might or might not be from ULSD fuel:
Diesel PM is still produced by ULSD. It is just in lower concentrations. There is not as much of the PM and it's not as thick, but ULSD still produces diesel particulate matter.
So like Gary always tells me, "denying something does not make it go away." Denying that diesel particulate matter is a health hazard will not stop making studies show that it IS a health hazard.
Lowering the levels of PM in our air should be a goal for every federal or state environmental agency. Clean diesel cars are definitely a good step in the right direction, because LESS PM in the air is good for all of us and our kids and grandkids and so on.
I can answer that since I work in this field. NO, they don't! If you had to read medical research papers day in and day out like I do, you'd be amazed at the ridiculous theories they spend months working through.
I'm not applying this to the current paper under discussion, just telling you it CAN and absolutely DOES happen.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
My point is that those studies don't have anything to do with conducting an ongoing "diesel witch hunt."
Diesel exhaust has been shown for decades to be dangerous to human health - anyone in this day and age who thinks we need a diesel witch hunt is not thinking clearly.
Everyone already knows most of what diesel PM does to the body - this is just another study confirming a particular effect directly related to particulate matter and hardening of the arteries.
but this study is pretty silly. As you state, we already knew it was harmful. Did we really need to say "oh, by the way, a bloated american sucking on old diesel exhaust pipe is in danger"? Of course not. Big waste of time and money.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
The study was intended to figure out reasons WHY air pollution seemed to increase death rates in people with hardening of the arteries.
This study actually pinpointed the actual physical effects of PM at the genetic level on the artery system, which had not been SPECIFICALLY done before by any previous study.
By doing this, we gain a better understanding of what is happening and thus open up avenues of research to find out how to attack the problem.
What I'm saying is we knew PM was bad. we also knew LDL was bad. Does it really matter beyond that? Avoid both. That's the moral of the story. I know stepping in front of a moving car is bad. I know getting hit by lightning is bad. I don't need someone to tell me that getting hit by lighting WHILE getting hit by a car is worse.
Is the potential compounding effect interesting? A little. But it doesn't change a darned thing.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
If you are reading this you do not fall in this category as you do care and most likely know the value of a dollar.
Did they bother to do a study in Europe where there are far more diesel cars than in the US by what, almost a 50 margin?
Sorry maybe not an Agenda but anti-diesel is for sure some companies agenda. i keep thinking of how Ralph Nader started his career. A CHEVY Corvair on a FORD test track with a professional driver and the car spun in front of the camera every time. :surprise:
Europe is never tested by these boffins just places like LA where you are more likely going to get killed walking TO you car than from fumes although I do admit it's a lot of cars in a very small area. Still the rest of the country follows California's strict rules anyway. California should have to meet Federal regs and not create their own.
They always have to make it difficult for the rest of the country.
The new data explains in new detail how air pollution affects the arterial system.
This could lead to a drug which bonds to and removes the PM from the blood stream, or a drug which counters the effect the PM has on the artery blockage.
So we could take PM out of the equation.
Sure, a drug like that is years if not decades away or might not be possible at all - but all good drugs started with research that showed a problem which can potentially be solved with drug interaction.
There is no drug for preventing people from getting hit by lightning in their car.....but there COULD be someday a drug which removes PM from the blood before it interacts with cholesterol to harm our bodies.
Shouldn't we welcome studies which have the potential to lead to drugs which could reduce the potential damage of vehicle exhaust to humans?
And Europe understands PM problems. There was a town in Italy which was banning ALL internal combustion engines on certain days to reduce pollution in the city.
People in America know that fast food is killing them - but will they stop eating it? No, because it's handy and fast and cheap and for the most part tasty.
Same with diesels in Europe - people know the diesel exhaust is bad but the financial benefit of the lower cost of fuel and the added MPG is more important to them.
People in America know that fast food is killing them - but will they stop eating it? No, because it's handy and fast and cheap and for the most part tasty.
Same with diesels in Europe - people know the diesel exhaust is bad but the financial benefit of the lower cost of fuel and the added MPG is more important to them
I think you need to look at the source of a problem and I think you will find that Commercial transport pollutes considerably more than diesel passenger cars.
How much PM does an oil tanker spew out every hour? How many 50 state legal diesel cars could you run in that hour to equal the same pollution?
I don't know but it would be interesting to see. Or how about a train, or any other huge industrial application for diesel?
I bet you can run a LOT of diesel cars compared to an Oil tanker or a Train.
Regulations are not as strict on those applications either. They punish the little guy not the big corporations.
McDonalds the new Tobacco company of the new millennium.
Oh I'm not saying Tobacco isn't bad, I'm a reformed smoker, but it's placing the blame where it belongs.
Some kids are just plain fat and it's genetic and others eat like pigs and get fat. But mixing McDonalds and diesel fuel, maybe we should just make everyone in Iraq drive diesel cars and bad gas cars and make them all eat at McDonalds.
I'm joking of course. Most of these problems aren't new or going to go away without research, so i do understand it's important but to legislate things to death like diesel for the most inane reasons seems like poor judgment to me.
Thankfully I don't live in such a polluted place, well actually I'm overseas right now and it's very polluted here. But there are just too many special interest groups involved that do have their own agendas and they are usually armed with beliefs and theories, not facts.
The topic is diesels in the news and this study represents possibly the first inkling that SOMEDAY we can take a pill and not be so concerned about the damage that air pollution from particulate matter (from ALL sources not just diesel exhaust) will do to our bodies.
Many things are over-legislated for varying good or bad reasons.
My personal belief is that governments try to legislate control of diesel passenger cars because:
1. We have known about diesel exhaust for decades, and
2. promotion of passenger diesel cars is an area which does not have a big lobby working for it in Washington.
Let's end the discussion about this one study by just saying that everyone should be happy that something has been discovered that might lead to curbing the potential damage of air pollution.
Anybody got any other news?
Anyone? Bueller?
his Day Off :P
sorry couldn't resist
Both are delusions on the best day of the week.
I was kind of worried you might be thinking this.
I think it is a HORRIBLE idea. Just because we make our own bodies immune to pollution does not mean we should pollute. We can't make the environment immune.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
I wonder if this will really come to the US shores.
2009 Honda FitFull model change
Possible diesel engine
Increase in horsepower
Armrest!
Possible diesel engine
Increase in horsepower
Armrest!
I see the increase in HP as very possible but probably a 20HP increase at most to make it competitive with the Scion xD
Armrest and Dead pedal are also possibilities.
I doubt it will have a diesel engine but if they DO make one i will buy it,providing they aren't too far behind everyone else by the time it's actually put in the car. Accord is first and then the SUV's.
The Scion xD looks like it could be a real competitor to the Fit, but Toyota won't have a diesel til at minimum 2010.
Warren Brown: Fall 2008 for 2009 model year. But, as often happens, that can change.
-end
Only info. I've seen/heard is that the Passat Tdi will not return until Spring 09 or Fall 09.
No, VW is sticking with Tdi. CRD is Chrysler.
It is interesting to note that Dodge sells a CRD Caliber with a VW engine. The Caliber is assembled in Illinois and it is such a shame that the diesel is export only.