Amazing: the US automobile industry discovers the Diesel engine...

[Robert Stratton]

I'm with you, gents. I was reading news about Virginia debating whether to renew the HOV waiver for hybrids and was thinking that if they really cared about fuel usage, they'd include modern diesels in the waiver. 

I would suggest you get a pre-2007 though. (I love my 2005 CDI and its 500 Nm torque) The new ones ("Bluetec") have a urea solution tank and if it runs dry the engine nags you and then eventually will refuse to start at all. That's a little too much micromanagement for my taste. 

--Bob S.

----- Original Message -----
> 
> Indeed i meant "in the US" - although the rest
> of the world is not afflicted by the corn-based
> ethanol disease so there was a hint. (grin)
> 
> one advantage Diesels have now they didn't
> back in 1979 when I bought a Diesel Rabbit
> is much more sophisticated gearboxes.
> 
> an 8-speed computronic tranny makes it much
> easier to keep a Diesel spinning in its "Max Grunt"
> torque sweet spot with the turbos whizzing smartly.
> that and new materials reduce the weight
> penalty.
> 
> the BMW 3 series twin-turbo inline 6-cylinder is
> much snappier than most US gas-burning V6s
> and easily gets twice the mileage. the gearbox
> is a big part of making the most of the turbos.
> 
> What I do not miss, however, is my friend's Mercedes 240D -
> the archtype "nasty truck Diesel in a in a big heavy
> passenger car". The noise and smoke had the
> "wife acceptance factor" of being trapped in an elevator
> with a flatulent basset hound. And even a casual drive was always
> excessively exciting because one had to plan so far ahead
> to deal with a 0-60 time best measured with a calendar.
> 
> I always thought the 240D did more to harm the
> notion of a civilized automotive Diesel than anything except
> the execrable "Dieselized" gas engines that GM tried foisting
> on an unsuspecting public. That demonstrated malice aforethought.
> 
> -mo
> 
> 
> On 4/25/12 9:49 PM, Andre Kesteloot wrote:
> 
> On 4/25/2012 21:10 PM, Mike O'Dell wrote:
> 
> [''']
> 
> Maybe the impending popularity of Diesel engines
> will finally put a stake through the heart of
> the corn-based ethanol madness.
> 
> Mike,
> let's be specific, whenyou write "the impending popularity of diesel
> engines", you mean in the US "
> Diesel automobiles in Europe have been popular for a quite long time
> now.
> Whenever I travel to Europe, I rent a mid-size car (diesel of course)
> and I regulalry get 50 miles to the gallon.
> 
> 73
> André
> 
> 
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