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Report: Diesel Chevrolet Cruze confirmed for U.S.

Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Etc., Chevrolet, GM, Rumormill, Diesel

2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco

2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco – Click above for high-res image gallery

According to the crew at GMInsideNews, General Motors is mulling the notion of introducing a diesel Chevrolet Cruze to the American market. Sources within the Lordstown, Ohio assembly plant responsible for piecing the compact sedan together have confirmed that a diesel Cruze will be built for 2013. If that’s not enough to wipe the stink of skepticism off your person, GMI says that additional sources within The General’s engineering team have confirmed that an oil-burning Cruze is on the company’s schedule.

Production is rumored to kick off on the project at some point next year.

There’s even rumor that GM is currently testing diesel Cruze models around the greater Detroit area right now. While no power or fuel economy numbers are available at the moment, GM is expected to make use of a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine for the new model. That would be the same lump found in the Holden Cruze CDX, which turns out 147 horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque with up to 34 miles per gallon combined.

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco: Quick Spin

2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco

[Source: GMInsideNews]

Report: Diesel Chevrolet Cruze confirmed for U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 16:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Land Rover promises Range_e plug-in diesel hybrid for Geneva

Filed under: Hybrid, SUV, Geneva Motor Show, Land Rover, Luxury

land rover range_e plug-in diesel hybrid

Land Rover Range_e plug-in diesel hybrid is heading to Geneva – Click above for high-res image gallery

Land Rover is gearing up for the 2011 Geneva Motor Show and it’s bringing new four models to show off, one of which shows the automaker is thinking a bit more green. The Land Rover Range_e plug-in diesel hybrid will be on display. Power for the electrified Range Rover Sport comes courtesy of a 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 paired with a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission, as well as an electric motor. The Range_e’s driving range is said to be nearly 700 miles and it can drive approximately 20 miles on electric power alone, which should be good enough to get the SUV into the heart of London.

Also getting the bright light auto show treatment are the luxurious Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate Edition, Evoque in two and four-door guise and the 2011 Discovery/LR4 Landmark Edition. The Autobiography Ultimate is described as the most luxurious Land Rover ever produced and features yacht-inspired teak flooring and Apple iPad tablets for the rear passengers. The Evoque will be featured in a handful of trims that offer unique customization options for consumers. Finally, the limited-edition Landmark LR4 will be available in either a Black or a White theme with upscale interiors and unique color treatments.

[Source: Land Rover]

Continue reading Land Rover promises Range_e plug-in diesel hybrid for Geneva

Land Rover promises Range_e plug-in diesel hybrid for Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Feb 2011 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: BMW Super Bowl commercials champion diesel and… American roots?

Filed under: Sedan, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Crossover, BMW, Diesel, Luxury

BMW Super Bowl Ad

BMW Super Bowl Ad – Click above to watch the videos after the jump

BMW was one of the few companies to keep its Super Bowl advertising plans to itself until kick off time, but the Roundel came to the game packing two 30-second spots. The company said it wanted to get two messages across to Americans: that its diesels are cleaner and more powerful than ever and that the German manufacturer is continuing to invest in America even as the economy struggles to recover. In order to make that happen, BMW enlisted the vocal talents of actor Chris Pine (of Star Trek fame) for the two spots. Pine is now the official voice of BMW advertising here in the States.

The first ad is clearly aimed at distinguishing the 335d from the American perception of diesel – sluggish old Volvo wagons, rough-idling Mercedes-Benz sedans and soot-spewing trucks and busses. The second ad focuses on the company’s efforts in Spartanburg, South Carolina, including producing every X3 on the planet. Hit the jump to check out both spots as well as the full press release.

[Source: BMW]

Continue reading Video: BMW Super Bowl commercials champion diesel and… American roots?

Video: BMW Super Bowl commercials champion diesel and… American roots? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 12:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Porsche mulling diesel power for U.S.

Filed under: Sedan, SUV, Geneva Motor Show, Porsche, Rumormill

2009 Porsche Cayenne Diesel

2009 Porsche Cayenne Diesel – Click above for high-res image gallery

Audi and Volkswagen are working hard to push diesel products in the United States and it seems as though their corporate cousins at Porsche may be ready to join them. Rumor has it that the German automaker is considering a pair of oil-burners for our shores.

Porsche already produces a diesel-drinking Cayenne for Europe and it’s been speculated that a Panamera diesel will appear on stage at the Geneva Motor Show. While the move will surely offend the Porsche purists in the States, it’s a safe bet that diesel options will help lower the automakers average fuel economy figures – a problem Porsche has been dealing with for years.

Gallery: Quick Drive: 2009 Porsche Cayenne Diesel

[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]

Report: Porsche mulling diesel power for U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Jan 2011 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PickupTrucks.com pits 2011 Ram 3500 Heavy Duty Diesel against Delta IV Heavy rocket

Filed under: Truck, Etc., Work, Dodge

Ram HD vs. Rocket

Talk about odd hauling. The team over at PickupTrucks.com put together a rather interesting comparision: 2011 Ram 3500 Heavy Duty diesel vs. Delta IV Heavy rocket. One is capable of crusing down the highway with a gross combined weight rating (vehicle, passengers and trailer) of 25,400 pounds. The other is easily capable of lifting that entire load into geosynchronous orbit 22,300 miles above our planet.

Rocket While the guys didn’t send the truck into space, they did use the Ram at the launch site (Vandenberg AFB along the California coast) as a camera platform. Autoblog tagged along for a ride (in the Ram, not the rocket) and took a handful of pics at the successful launch.

Oh, the comparison? Long story short, the truck is quicker to 60 mph but the rocket has a much higher top speed. The truck has dual-zone air conditioning, while the rocket chills with supercooled liquid fuel (483,500 gallons all kept below -297 degrees Fahrenheit). And, of course, the truck offers Satellite Radio while the big rocket simply becomes a satellite.

Gallery: Delta IV vs. Ram HD Pickup

Delta IV rocket vs. Ram 3500 HD pickup

[Source: PickupTrucks.com]

PickupTrucks.com pits 2011 Ram 3500 Heavy Duty Diesel against Delta IV Heavy rocket originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 Jan 2011 20:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Torque-tastic Mini Cooper SD diesel to debut in Geneva

The expansion of the Mini family marches forward relentlessly, but while the range typically grows with more bodystyles, the latest addition stands to transcend configurations with a new engine.

Although it likely won’t be offered Stateside, rumor has it that Mini is preparing to launch a new high-performance diesel engine at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show in March. The cars fitted with it are reportedly set to carry the SD designation (combining the S from the top-spec gasoline engine with the D from the existing diesel).

Details have yet to be announced, but reports indicate it could be a 2.0-liter turbodiesel with 143 horsepower and as much as 225 lb-ft of torque. That torque number would emphatically surpass the torque figures produced by any of the existing Mini engines – even the JCW on overboost.

[Source: MotoringFile]

Report: Torque-tastic Mini Cooper SD diesel to debut in Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 16 Jan 2011 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Project Kahn, Cosworth squeeze 500 hp out of diesel Range Rover

Filed under: Aftermarket, Performance, SUV, Land Rover, Diesel, Luxury

Cosworth Range Rover

Range Rover Sport RS500 by Project Kahn and Cosworth – Click above for high-res image gallery

There’s a grand tradition to enormously powerful and torquey diesel sport-utes. Most of them come from the Volkswagen group – like the Touareg V10 or the Audi Q7 V12 TDI – but this, as you might have guessed, is no VW. It’s a Range Rover, uut one that’s been thoroughly worked over.

The modifications have been carried out through the joint efforts of Project Kahn and Cosworth – two British tuners that have been working together for the past couple of years. Their latest product started life as the thoroughly capable and luxurious Range Rover Sport with the 4.4-liter V8 diesel. With 313 horsepower, the diesel Rover is hardly a slouch, but Cosworth has taken it a step further (and then some) by squeezing out a whopping 500 horsepower.

To go with the massive upgrade in output, Kahn has given the Range Rover an extensive cosmetic update both inside and out, with new bumpers from and rear, side skirts, 22-inch wheels and an interior decked out in billet aluminum and perforated & quilted leather trim. Check it out in the high-res image gallery below.

Gallery: Range Rover Sport RS500 by Project Kahn and Cosworth

[Source: Project Kahn]

Project Kahn, Cosworth squeeze 500 hp out of diesel Range Rover originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 26 Dec 2010 14:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chrysler pondering diesel for U.S. Jeep Compass and replacement

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

2011 Jeep Compass

2011 Jeep Compass – Click above for high-res image gallery

Chrysler is looking at a diesel version of the Jeep Compass, or its replacement due in 2013 for the States, according to company officials.

The newly refreshed Jeep Compass (which we reviewed earlier today), which goes on sale in early 2011 in the U.S., Europe and other markets, will be offered in some places with a Mercedes-Benz 122kW/320Nm 2.2-liter turbo-diesel (164 horsepower/236 pound-feet) that has a claimed average of 6.6 liters/100km (around 43 mpg).

The diesel for the U.S., though would be a Fiat engine, according to officials who spoke to us on background. If the company decided to do it, it would likely show up in the Compass/Patriot replacement, due two years from now, built off a modified engineering platform derived from the Alfa Romeo Giulietta.

The interest in diesels for the U.S. is always controversial. Volkswagen sells close to 40,000 Jetta and Golf TDI models per year. European automakers always try and make a case for diesels in the U.S. to extend their investments made for EU markets and to boost sales, but it isn’t clear if VW is making any money on these sales in the States.

Despite the fact that diesel prices can run higher in the U.S. than regular gas, a reverse of the situation in Europe, there is a dedicated and slowly growing base of enthusiasts for clean diesel in America.

The price of a diesel Compass would be close to $28,000, including the upmarket all-wheel drive package.

Gallery: 2011 Jeep Compass

Chrysler pondering diesel for U.S. Jeep Compass and replacement originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Dec 2010 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Volvo to downsize engines in 2013; ponders diesel for U.S.

Filed under: Technology, Volvo, Diesel

2010 Volvo C30

Engine downsizing is considered an effective method for reducing emissions and improving fuel efficiency and that’s precisely why many automakers have developed smaller mills to replace older, larger motors. Kia, Volkswagen, Fiat, Audi and many others already announced their intentions to introduce downsized engines in upcoming models. We can now add Volvo to the ranks of automakers developing new low-displacement powerplants.

According to Autocar, Volvo plans to introduce downsized gas- and diesel-fueled engines across its model range beginning in 2013. The automaker is also eying the addition of clean diesels that displace less than two liters – including a 1.6-liter engine that puts out 113 horsepower – and is even discussing the possibility of importing oil burners here to the States. Volvo’s Chief Executive Officer, Stefan Jacoby, tells Autocar that the company is “taking a deep look at whether it will introduce the diesels to the U.S.,” though nothing has been decided yet.

What do you think – would bringing over a range of diesels help improve Volvo’s fortunes in the States?

[Source: Autocar]

Report: Volvo to downsize engines in 2013; ponders diesel for U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 05 Dec 2010 14:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Ever seen a V24 diesel rock the dyno?

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Diesel

V24 Detroit Diesel

24-cylinder Detroit Diesel madness: Click above to watch the video after the jump

Want to see something really crazy? How about a 24-cylinder Detroit Diesel engine with twelve giant blowers, all polished up and ready for its new assignment. For what it’s worth, its previous assignment was providing the motive force necessary to spin the propeller of a ocean-going yacht.

And its new assignment? Nestled tightly within the confines of a Peterbilt semi truck, mated up to an Allison transmission of some sort and mounted on a custom-built 40-foot-long chassis. Sounds pretty epic to us, and we’re thinking that 3,424 horsepower (our feeble brains are telling us it should have well over 5,000 pound-feet of torque…) ought to be just about enough.

And the man behind the madness? That would be Big Mike, the burly bearded millionaire you can read about in detail right here. Nicely done, Mr. Harrah. Hit the jump to see a video of this ridiculous piece of machinery make its first dyno run.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Ever seen a V24 diesel rock the dyno?

Video: Ever seen a V24 diesel rock the dyno? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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