This diesel market in the US plain sucks. Totally non-existent at the moment save for two ton trucks. My fiance needs a commuter and I'd been hoping to test drive the newest TDI when it came out this fall. Looks like a whole year of delay because of "downstream exhaust problems".
Quote:
November 7, 2007
To: All Volkswagen Dealers
Subject: Clean Diesel TDI Launch
Dear Dealer,
I am writing to inform you that the North American introduction of the new Clean Diesel 2.0 li TDI for the Jetta Sedan and Wagon has been delayed from April 2008, to late summer 2008. We will remain the first volume brand offering Clean Diesel in the USA.
This situation is due to a technical issue that was found during the later stages of durability testing.
As disappointing as this is for all concerned, our first priority is to ensure that the integrity and quality of the new technology is not compromised, so as to maintain a trouble free launch.
A new SOP date has been confirmed for July by engineering, and we will initiate our ordering activities i.e. launch cars, dealer orders, etc. in spring. For image and competitive reasons, we are now working hard to bring early promotional cars into the Country in order to give you the chance to pre-sell the production arriving in October, during the Summer months. We will continue to promote Diesel through the Dieselution Tour, Jetta TDI Cup Series, and feature the technology as a part of our Brand Campaign
in the first half of the year.
For reasons of our mutual profitability, we are investigating a number of actions to make up a portion of the TDI shortfall, such as but not limited to, obtaining additional production of high demand product, ramping up the launch production, and speeding up shipment times of the new TDI, bringing in special edition cars etc.
The launch of all other new models planned for 2008 are on time; Jetta SportWagen, Tiguan, Passat Coupe, M-Van and Touareg 2 with V6 Clean Diesel TDI. With all of these new models coming into the market, and even with the delay of the new TDI, we are targeting to grow next year, and this delay will be discounted from the BPB objectives as we have always promised.
We must now take advantage of the launches that are before us, and not let this set-back to our growth strategy cause us to lose focus on the turnaround that we have begun. We appreciate your understanding of the situation and will keep you apprised of any further developments as soon as they are available.
Yours sincerely,
Adrian Hallmark
Subaru is still considering importing its new 2.0 liter 140 hp/250 ft/lbs torque, but is remaining tight lipped about when, and in what. An Outback diesel with an available five speed would be hard for me to resist.
Honda is talking diesel for 09. A four cylinder Accord would be a nice car but I think a little diesel Civic would be a world beater and a Jetta killer. The Accord is said to get 52 mpg highway. Pretty good. That motor in a Civic would kill though.Quote:
• Diesel engine — The engine was on a stand here and is under serious consideration for the U.S. As shown, it's a two-liter, horizontally-opposed engine, the same layout as Subie gasoline engines. A boxer, it's called, because the pistons stroke back and forth horizontally, as boxers throwing punches. The version on display is rated roughly 140 horsepower, 250 pounds-feet of torque.
Subie isn't saying what car might get the diesel, or when it might hit the U.S.
Couldn't find anything on Hyundai and Kia, but I thought they had some US diesel plans up their sleeves as well.Quote:
•Honda, already planning four-cylinder diesel engines for the U.S. market in 2009, probably in the Accord sedan, also will produce V-6 diesels for its truck models, a designation that includes the Odyssey minivan, Pilot SUV and Ridgeline midsize pickup.
Fukui didn't specify which would get the V-6 diesel, but did say the four-cylinder diesel "does not provide enough power for light trucks, so we are developing a V-6 diesel as well."
Honda previously has mentioned the V-6, but until Fukui's comments hadn't said which vehicles it could power.
The European-market Accord already has a diesel. And prototype, U.S.-specification diesel engines that Honda provided for test drives were installed in Accords.
