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Report: Mazda3 diesel under consideration for US, hybrid not so much

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Hatchback, Mazda, Diesel

2014 Mazda3 at NYC reveal - front three-quarter view, red

It’s been a long time coming, but we finally clapped our eyes on the real deal, officially official 2014 Mazda3 in hatchback form yesterday. Yet there’s a lot more to learn about this next-generation version of what has always been one of our favorite compacts. We know that the US version will come with one of two Skyactiv engines, but what about alternatives? Will there be any… or will the gasoline-fed four-cylinders be powerful and frugal enough to carry the day?

According to Automotive News, the answer is a definite maybe. Mazda North America CEO Jim O’Sullivan has told the trade publication that his employer will consider adding the company’s well-liked 2.2-liter Skyactiv diesel powerplant to the model down the road. However, the company first wants to see how the engine fares with American consumers in its big-brother Mazda6 sedan, a model that goes on sale later this year. As for a potential Mazdaspeed3 successor, mum is still the word.

Anything else? Uncharacteristically, Mazda will build a hybrid model of its new 3. We say “uncharacteristically,” because the Japanese independent has long shied away from gas-electric powertrain tech. In fact, it’s gone so far as to boldly announce its aversion to the technology, with auto show banners proclaiming “Not Electric. Not Hybrid. Not A Drag To Drive.” Despite all that, this new generation of Mazda3 will in fact be the company’s first full hybrid production model. According to AN, however, O’Sullivan says that the company has “no plans” to sell it in the US.

Production for the 2014 Mazda3 will throttle up ahead of the car’s September on-sale date in the US, but supply might be pinched until Mazda’s new Salamanca, Mexico plant fires up next year.

Mazda3 diesel under consideration for US, hybrid not so much originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Jun 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Audi S6 and S7 to offer diesel engines *UPDATE

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Audi, Rumormill, Luxury

spy photo audi s7

2012 Audi S7 spy shots – Click above for high-res image gallery

The Audi S lineup is not a world filled with many choices. Sure, you can pick your poison in terms of which S vehicle you want, but you do not have a say in which engine is mounted under the hood. However, it seems the upcoming Audi S6 and S7 might be poised to break with that tradition.

Rumor has it that the more athletic versions of the A6 and A7 will be offered with a choice of engines. The standard engine for both cars is slated to be a turbocharged 4.0-liter V8 with around 450 horsepower, but Audi is reportedly going to offer up a diesel, as well, marking the first time such an engine has been offered with an S-branded vehicle. This 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 should be good for 300 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque.

*Update: Apparently, this one is too good to be true – kind of. The cars will be available with the diesel lumps, but the badging will keep the A and not wear an S. Regardless, we’re excited to see more sporty diesels arrive stateside.

Audi S6 and S7 to offer diesel engines *UPDATE originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 May 2011 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Rumormill: Mercedes E300 Bluetec diesel hybrid could make it to the U.S.

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Technology, Mercedes-Benz, Rumormill, Diesel, Luxury

2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class

We’re about to witness the first-ever mass-production diesel hybrid in this summer’s Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4 crossover; this sort of powertrain has had engineers and many consumers drooling for a few years. The miles-per-gallon possibilities and environmental benefits are fascinating right away. All that has held them at bay was the expense of development and production, plus the unwanted risk of passing that big price tag on to buyers.

Mercedes confirms that its E300 Bluetec Hybrid is on the way and will be on sale by the end of 2012. We asked them right away what this means for Mercedes’ diesel investment in the United States. The team members in Germany grinned a lot and said they could neither confirm or deny anything at this time. But to stay tuned.

The first viable diesel hybrid from Stuttgart for public consumption was first shown at this past March’s Geneva Motor Show. It combines a latest-generation 2.2-liter four-cylinder diesel good for 204 horsepower with an ultra-sophisticated 20-hp electric motor module. Effective combined torque, however, booms out at 428 pound-feet from way down low in the revs, while estimated miles per gallon in European city/highway combined cycle hits 57.4 mpg at its best. For the EPA cycle, knock that down to a more earthbound 45 mpg or so average in normal driving. Still, not too shabby for an E-Class, kids.

The lithium-ion battery assembly used in the E300 Bluetec Hybrid is the same one tried and liked already in the S400 Hybrid. Please, oh, please, get this baby over here for a near-future One Lap of America.

Mercedes E300 Bluetec diesel hybrid could make it to the U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 May 2011 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche launches Panamera Diesel with 745-mile range just for Europe

Filed under: Sedan, Europe, Porsche, UK, Diesel

Porsche Panamera Diesel

Porsche Panamera Diesel – Click above for high-res image gallery

A diesel sedan from… Porsche? What has the world come to? Following in the wake of the diesel Cayenne, Stuttgart’s finest is meeting demand in Europe – where an oil-burning offering is a must – with a diesel Panamera.

The four-door gets a Porsche-tuned version of Volkswagen’s 3.0-liter common-rail turbo-diesel (packing variable-vane turbochargers just like the 911 Turbo), here producing 247 horsepower but a far more prodigious 406 lb-ft of torque – similar to the Cayenne diesel’s output, but tuned for delivery over a wider band.

Mated to an eight-speed automatic with stop-start capability, that’s enough to drive this latest Panamera variant to 62 miles per hour in 6.8 seconds. Which isn’t bad for a diesel, but what Porsche is emphasizing is the car’s range of 745 miles from a full tank of fuel. That’s enough juice to drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco and back, blissfully whizzing by every gas station along the way.

This isn’t something Porsche drivers here in North America would be accustomed to, but that’s just as well, as the Panamera Diesel isn’t likely to land on these shores anytime soon. For a closer look, scope out the press release after the jump and click through our high-res image gallery below.

Gallery: Porsche Panamera Diesel

Continue reading Porsche launches Panamera Diesel with 745-mile range just for Europe

Porsche launches Panamera Diesel with 745-mile range just for Europe originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 May 2011 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche offers 540-hp kit for Cayenne Turbo, improves Diesel’s efficiency

Filed under: Sedan, Performance, SUV, Porsche, Diesel, Luxury

2011 porsche cayenne turbo

2011 Porsche Cayenne Turbo – Click above for high-res image gallery

Porsche has announced changes to its 2012 Cayenne that provide more power, increased efficiency and a few options that weren’t available before.

When it comes to power, the Cayenne Turbo already packs a 500-horsepower punch, but if that isn’t good enough for you, Porsche is now offering a kit that boosts power to 540 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque; an improvement of 40 ponies and 37 lb-ft. That increase comes courtesy of a pair of new turbochargers with titanium-aluminum turbine wheels and engine electronics adjustments. The added power will net you a 0-62 time of 4.6 seconds (from 4.7 seconds) and a top speed of 176 miles per hour. Porsche also improved brake cooling to help stop this raging locomotive, and the optional Ceramic Composite Brakes now feature larger front discs to boost stopping power.

The diesel-powered Cayenne has also received a significant upgrade, with a cleaner diesel engine that is more powerful and efficient than before. Output has been bumped by five ponies to 245 hp, and the automaker claims the oil-burning SUV consumes only 7.2 liters of diesel fuel per 100 km. That’s 39 imperial mpg, or roughly 32 mpg in U.S. mpg. The added performance also improves acceleration, with a quoted 7.6 seconds to reach 62 miles per hour, or .2 seconds quicker than the 2011 Cayenne diesel. Engine improvements include a new turbocharger, an amazing 44 pounds of weight savings (just from the diesel engine!) and a 10-percent increase in direct injection pressure.

Porsche also announced minor changes meant to improve the Cayenne Hybrid’s driving characteristics and the addition of Lane Change Assist to the 2012 Panamera. There’s a slew more detail changes outlined in the Porsche press release that you’ll find after the break.

Gallery: First Drive: 2011 Porsche Cayenne

[Source: Porsche]

Continue reading Porsche offers 540-hp kit for Cayenne Turbo, improves Diesel’s efficiency

Porsche offers 540-hp kit for Cayenne Turbo, improves Diesel’s efficiency originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 19 Apr 2011 18:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jeep Grand Cherokee to get 3.0L diesel V6 in North America by 2013

Filed under: SUV, Europe, Jeep, Diesel, Off-Road

Jeep CRD diesel engine

Autoblog just heard it straight from the Italian-Canadian horse’s mouth: The hot new Jeep Grand Cherokee in North America will – somewhere between soon and the end of 2013 – be getting the same recently improved 3.0-liter V6 turbo-diesel engine that Europe gets. In the Grand Cherokee, this oil-burning powerplant is good for 237 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque, the latter of which is fully delivered between 1,800 and 2,800 rpm. This is music to all Jamboree and Rubicon fanatics everywhere.

It has not been decided whether or not there might be a special six-speed manual shifter offered alongside the W5A580 five-speed overdrive automatic transmission, and an eight-speed automatic is in the works, as well. But the manual with the Quadra-Drive II transfer case on a Trail Rated Grand Cherokee would bring the glee Stateside even moreso.

Fiat Auto CEO Sergio Marchionne is fast becoming the new Bob Lutz in his ability to cast aside all carefully kept secrets of the communications team and talk about the good things that are coming. Only minutes after Jeep’s international bosses artfully skirted the issue of a common-rail diesel GC here in North America, Marchionne assured us that one would, in fact, be coming. We respect the Jeep leaders. We dig Sergio.

Not only does the latest generation of the 3.0-liter CRD engine with Multijet II management – built by VM Motori in Italy based on specifications from Fiat Powertrain Technologies – get 19-percent greater fuel efficiency than the previous mill, it produces 20-percent less CO2 emissions. Towing capacity is quoted at just over 7,700 pounds, the maximum for any current Grand Cherokee trim.

But will the Wrangler get the European 2.8-liter CRD inline-four good for 197 hp and 302 lb-ft of torque, paired with the NSG370 six-speed manual and Rubicon Rock-Trac transfer case? Because that, folks, is the holy grail item. Even Sergio was mum on this.

Gallery: Review: 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

[Image: Matt Davis/AOL]

Jeep Grand Cherokee to get 3.0L diesel V6 in North America by 2013 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Apr 2011 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jaguar debuts new 2.2-liter diesel engine under hood of 2012 XF prototype

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Technology, Jaguar, Diesel

Jaguar XF Spy Photo

2012 Jaguar XF Spy Shots – Click above for high-res image gallery

Jaguar has announced a new 2.2-liter diesel engine capable of 187 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque that can also travel 52.3 miles per gallon in the combined European cycle as fitted to a prototype of its 2012 XF sedan. The engine will also have little trouble meeting Europe’s stringent CO2 regulations, as The Leaping Cat claims the engine only emits 149 g/km of CO2.

On the technology front, this new 16 valve common-rail diesel features a water-cooled turbocharger, low friction pistons, a fresh crankshaft and new injectors. Jaguar engineers also fitted a new oil pan and new electronic systems to allow for an intelligent Stop-Start system that operates more efficiently. The efficient little motor will work in concert with an also new eight-speed ZF transmission. Jaguar claims the diminutive diesel will propel the XF to 60 miles per hour in 8.5, while promising a top speed of 140 miles per hour.

As an added bonus, the folks at Jaguar were kind enough to pass us high-resolution photos of the refreshed XF undergoing testing. The camo is quite good, though we can see some alterations to the lower air dams, and we’re guessing tail lamps, headlamps and the grille have also been given a once-over.

Jaguar says in the post-jump press release that the 2.2 diesel will make its way under the bonnet of a future XF production car, with “an estimated on-sale date being announced at the New York Auto Show.” Keep in mind that the Big Apple show is international in scope, so assuming that a U.S. announcement means it will be sold here probably isn’t a good idea. Hit the jump to read over the Jaguar press release.

Gallery: Spy Shots: 2012 Jaguar XF

Spy Shots: 2012 Jaguar XF

[Source: Jaguar]

Continue reading Jaguar debuts new 2.2-liter diesel engine under hood of 2012 XF prototype

Jaguar debuts new 2.2-liter diesel engine under hood of 2012 XF prototype originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 16:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi confirms diesel A4, A6, A8, Q5 for U.S., first e-tron vehicle expected in 2013

Filed under: Sedan, Crossover, Audi, Diesel

Audi A3 TDI

Audi’s clean diesel initiative here in the United States started with the A3 TDI hatchback and Q7 TDI crossover, but in the coming years, we can expect the vast majority of the company’s volume models to offer oil-burning powerplants. This isn’t the first time the German automaker has spoke of expanding its diesel lineup here in the U.S., but during a press conference this morning, Audi of America President Johan de Nysschen outlined exactly what we can expect to see over the next 24 to 30 months.

The first new implementations of TDI clean diesel will be in the A6 and A8 sedans, as well as the Q5 crossover. All three of these models are expected to have hybrid variants, as well, meaning customers will have a full range of powertrain options in the coming years.

As for the A4 – Audi’s highest-volume model – TDI power is still in the cards for U.S. consumption. Instead of offering a diesel engine in the current model, Audi will be waiting until the next-generation car arrives. The all-new A4 is expected to launch in 2015, or possibly even 2014.

Finally, de Nysschen stated that Audi’s first electric vehicle is expected to arrive in the U.S. by early 2013. The automaker’s e-tron EV technology has been displayed multiple times over the past few years, and while it’s unclear exactly what sort of electric vehicle will arrive in the U.S., our bet is on something R8-based to rival BMW’s new EfficientDynamics i8 sports car.

[Image: Drew Phillips/AOL]

Audi confirms diesel A4, A6, A8, Q5 for U.S., first e-tron vehicle expected in 2013 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Geneva 2011: AC Schnitzer comes strong with sporty diesel BMW Z4, tuned 550i [w/videos]

Filed under: Aftermarket, Concept Cars, Convertible, Sedan, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, BMW, Specialty, Diesel

AC Schnitzer 99d

2011 AC Schnitzer 99d – Click above for high-res image gallery

AC Schnitzer has showed up at the Geneva Motor Show with not one, but two fresh-off-the-press upgrade packages for 2011.

Not wanting to look completely unfriendly to Mother Earth, AC Schnitzer has taken their expertise to the Z4 and BMW’s EfficientDynamics system, working over a 320d mill to go under the Z4’s hood. The 2011 AC Schnitzer 99d gets a 70-hp boost to 190, hits 60 in 6.9 seconds, releases a scant 99g of C02 per mile and returns a handsome 63 mpg in the European cycle. That, according to Schnitzer, is better than any BMW on the market. Unfortunately, the 99d is just a concept, and won’t be available to the public any time soon.

For the family minded executives attending the show, AC Schnitzer started with the 2011 BMW 550i, bumping the car from 407 to 540 horsepower. According to Schnitzer, the result is a 4.5-second 0-60 sprint and a whopping 198 mph top end. The engine exhales through a new set of the tuner’s own mufflers capped with chrome surrounds. The resulting executive express has been dubbed the ACS5 Sport S.

Hauling all that energy to a stop is a revised set of brakes sporting eight-piston calipers. Outside, Schnitzer went all-out to ensure that the car would be stable at its newfound velocity. The laundry list of exterior mods includes a front spoiler, carbon ducts for the brakes, new engine bay vents and, of course, your choice of 20 or 21-inch AC Schnitzer custom wheels.

Check out the official videos and press releases after the jump.

Gallery: AC Schnitzer 99d: Geneva 2011

Gallery: AC Schnitzer ACS5 Sport S: Geneva 2011

[Source: AC Schnitzer]

Continue reading Geneva 2011: AC Schnitzer comes strong with sporty diesel BMW Z4, tuned 550i [w/videos]

Geneva 2011: AC Schnitzer comes strong with sporty diesel BMW Z4, tuned 550i [w/videos] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Mar 2011 14:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Kickboxer Concept is all-wheel-drive diesel insanity on two wheels

Filed under: Concept Cars, Etc., Subaru, Motorcycle

Kickboxer Diesel all-wheel drive concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

It’s been a while since we heard anything from Ian McElroy. As you may recall, he’s the twisted mind who came up with the notion of lodging a Subaru boxer four-cylinder between the rails of a motorcycle frame. Well, it appears that he’s been a busy bee since showing off his first take on the Kickboxer Concept. McElroy has set about reimagining his creation with a diesel boxer lump at the heart of the action. The engine is still sourced from Fuji Heavy Industries, though it’s both smaller and more efficient than the old gasoline lump.

The newest addition to the Kickboxer family boasts new body work and a different swing arm design along with a new turbo configuration. Not quite mad enough for you? How about sticking an all-wheel drive version of the oil-burning moto in your pipe? McElroy worked up a twin-chain design that works with some help from a jack shaft, idler sprocket and a drive axle.

These aren’t just some random renderings, though. McElroy says that he has all of the CAD files he needs to have the bikes machined and built. All he needs is the coin to do so. Shall we start passing the hat?

Gallery: Kickboxer diesel all-wheel drive concept

[Source: The Kneeslider]

New Kickboxer Concept is all-wheel-drive diesel insanity on two wheels originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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