More Diesels Comming to US from GM

[YSSMAN]

Well, this is absolutely awesome news!

General Motors is working on two modern diesel engines that will meet new emission standards not only in Europe, but also in the United states, reports Germany’s Automobilwoche. The engines include a 4.5-liter V8 and a 2.9-liter V6. GM is expected to begin pushing its diesel program worldwide in 2008, when the new engines will first appear in GM cars.

If the diesels are comming, I wonder if they are going to be going in the Zeta cars for 2008? I wouldnt mind driving a diesel-powered Impala LTZ...

 

[Wolfe]

That's great! America needs a company that they can trust to convince them that diesels aren't so bad... 👍

If americans learn to love diesels, we'll certainly see more of them being imported here from Europe...

 

[Sniffs]

i've been recieving a e-mail news letter called American trucker weekly, to keep up on what truckers are doing (since I haul just about as much as those guys, anymore, in proportion). it listed the Sulfur contend to american deisel...500 PPM. the standards for drop, which they finally put a date on (October!), drop that to 15 PPM.

and people wonder why we don't touch deisel?

lets hope that we get it right.

 

[YSSMAN]

Volkswagen had said that they are working with the US Government to figure out a way to continue to sell their Diesel cars here in the US after the laws tighten up in 2007. Were supposed to be getting new diesel fuel similar to what is sold in Europe pretty soon, so that may help, but as it stands, most diesel vehicles arent clean enough to meet the standards.

 

[Wolfe]

i've been recieving a e-mail news letter called American trucker weekly, to keep up on what truckers are doing (since I haul just about as much as those guys, anymore, in proportion). it listed the Sulfur contend to american deisel...500 PPM. the standards for drop, which they finally put a date on (October!), drop that to 15 PPM.

and people wonder why we don't touch deisel?

lets hope that we get it right.

The sulfur content isn't the reason (not the main one, anyway). Diesels made a bit of a splash in the american market back in the late-70's/early-80's, but then became quite unpopular. Apparently, people didn't like the idea of a smoky, smelly car that struggled to reach 60mph in less than 20 seconds, could barely touch 80mph, and required a special fuel that wasn't available at all gas stations.

Of course, Diesels became a helluva lot better, but the american market has been reluctant to give them another chance.

 

[Sniffs]

FYI to others as well...

most other fuels, except the E85 (mabey) they've been pushing lately, are pretty much not easily available in the Us.

yeah, deisels were offered as alternates in the early eighties, along with an early shot at a variable displacement engine. no dice. Americans take a long time to accept change, and then only when such technology becomes dead common and ultra cheap.

 

[Max_DC]

Diesels aren't all that great. I don't like them and would never buy them. They are ok with the latest filtersystems but still....

 

[YSSMAN]

I've thought about buying a MKIV Jetta TDI several times, but the performance is almost dangerously slow. Sure, the extra torque helps in most situations, but having ONLY 100HP (91 in pre-2004 models) is still less than what I have in my current '96 with the 2.0L I4, and the fuel savings between the two would negate the extra cost for the vehicle and the fuel itself.

 

[neanderthal]

americans dont like diesels because when the big three decided to make some diesel powered cars in the early 80s, they took a lot of shortcuts and made some horrible engines. a petrol buick V8 became the GM diesel v8 for cars, and constantly broke parts.
that it wasnt available at all stations didnt help. neither did the smell, one that you cant quite get rid off.

the germans made some decent diesels, many of which survive in the old mercedes 300Ds and vw golfs and pickups of that era. the japanese made a few diesel powered cars and light trucks a few of which survive today.

Diesels aren't all that great. I don't like them and would never buy them. They are ok with the latest filtersystems but still....

what isnt great about diesels?

 

[Max_DC]

what isnt great about diesels?

The sound, the performance ( massive torque for sure, but only for 2000 rpm ), those without the latest filters are a huge threat for you health. That's why I wouldn't buy a diesel.

 

[neanderthal]

The sound,

personal preference, but im with you there.

the performance ( massive torque for sure, but only for 2000 rpm ),

are you on crack? you might want to keep up with the latest developments. the audi R10 won the 24 hours of sebring. comfortably.
in real world driving the diesel versions of popular cars like the 3 series and E class are the preferred models, by the pundits and talking heads and journalists even. diesels are outselling petrol cars. see sales figures for europe if you dont believe me.
you might want to try driving a new diesel, that old 2000rpm power band is being stretched by better technology and gearing.

those without the latest filters are a huge threat for you health. That's why I wouldn't buy a diesel.

AFAIK this is an old myth. petrol has always had more noxious emissions, whch recently have been curtailed greatly. diesels were scapegoated early and often because of the black smoke, but it wasnt as deadly as the smoke from a petrol engined car.

i could be wrong about the last one.

 

[BMW POWER]

I find the modern diesel cars sold over here are very good. The performance is just as, if not better in some situations than the equivalent petrol model and not forgetting the savings on fuel. The best diesels I've driven recently come from Honda with there 2.2ltr from the new Civic, Seat/VW with my friends Seat Leon 1.9ltr FR and the new BMW 3 Series 320d. All of them were exceptionally smooth and refined with none of the dirty smoke most people associate with them plus the bonus of huge torque and overtaking potential (especially the BMW) I think it's great you guys on the other side of the pond will start to get more diesels.

 

[YSSMAN]

...They say we are going to get more diesels, but they have been saying that since the late 1990s. DCX is upping the production of their Diesel-powered Jeep Liberty, as sales are above and beyond what they had expected (despite low performance, minimal fuel economy gains, and outstandingly rough operation [were talking 1980s diesel quality]).

 

[Sniffs]

again, it's deisel's rep in the US, and the fact we use it more for other purposes than moving people.

it's the TORQUE from deisel engines in the US that keeps it alive in utility.

 

[Max_DC]

are you on crack? you might want to keep up with the latest developments. the audi R10 won the 24 hours of sebring. comfortably.
in real world driving the diesel versions of popular cars like the 3 series and E class are the preferred models, by the pundits and talking heads and journalists even. diesels are outselling petrol cars. see sales figures for europe if you dont believe me.
you might want to try driving a new diesel, that old 2000rpm power band is being stretched by better technology and gearing.

Ok So there is one multimillion dollar diesel that is actually great...wow...
I could tell you 200 nondiesel supercars with outstandning performance and sound.
So back to the real world. Diesels are popular, I'm from Germany and diesel cars are extremely popular here, actually I'd say over 40% of new cars are diesels. And I've driven many of them myself or I was passenger. BMW 330d, MB S400 CDI etc... And I don't really like them performancewise... They give you the impression of performance because of that massive torque, but it's simply an illusion.
I have a Subaru Impreza WRX STi (performance is in my signature) and I havn't met a diesel that can match it. They could develop one for sure, but they don't. And if they would, the car would still sound horrible.

Diesels are better than 10 years ago, but so are the petrol cars. Tell me some random diesel for a certain price and I'll tell you at least 3 petrol cars which are faster (with better sound). Fuel efficiency is the real advantage. But everything else...meh ...

AFAIK this is an old myth. petrol has always had more noxious emissions, whch recently have been curtailed greatly. diesels were scapegoated early and often because of the black smoke, but it wasnt as deadly as the smoke from a petrol engined car.

i could be wrong about the last one.

You are wrong about that one. The latest diesels are ok, no doubt about it. But without these particle filter systems diesels are far more dangerous for your health than petrol cars. It's a bit complex to tell here, especially in English (for me) but it all comes down to that : the diesel emissions cause lung cancer and all kind of lung-aspiration deseases. They also have an influence on alergic reactions.
It is the other way round so to say. Diesel was underestimated for a long time.

 

[RobcioPL]

A good idea would be to make some more diesel stations.............

Here in Chicago there is not alot of diesel stations, that may be pulling people away from buying one.