I’m Ready for Eurodiesels

By Marty Padgett June 17th, 2007

Email this page to your friend:

Over the past several years, we’ve heard plenty about diesels — especially that they’re quieter, more civil, and smoke-free, and that they no longer bring a performance penalty. In Europe, though, there are quite a few models that bring better performance than their gasoline counterparts. Just a short drive in two high-performance, Euro-spec diesel sedans — a 2007 BMW 535d and a 2007 Audi A6 SE 3.0 TDI quattro — this past week was enough make our feelings about diesel a little warmer yet.

Both cars are part of a Bosch demonstration fleet primarily brought over to promote the current state of diesel technology to regulators, politicians, and non-profit groups in California.

The A6 has what we would venture to say is the quietest engine of any diesel we’ve driven yet, including the E-Class Bluetec. The 3.0-liter TDI V-6 makes 233 horsepower — almost as good as the 3.2-liter gasoline direct-injection V-6’s 255 hp — while peak torque stands at 332 lb-ft, compared to the gas A6’s 244 lb-ft. Even more remarkable, the TDI reaches peak torque at 1400 rpm, as opposed to 3250 rpm. With the six-speed Tiptronic, the A6 TDI can dash to 62 mph in 7.1 seconds and to a top speed of 153 miles per hour.

The first part of our route took us up a several-mile-long, six-percent highway grade where traffic moves at about 60 mph. It’s sent several test vehicles into convulsive hunting, as the transmission downshifts and upshifts repeatedly to maintain speed. But the A6 tackled it quietly in sixth gear, with plenty to spare thanks to the plentiful torque.

Then we came back for a spin in the 535d. It was equipped with an M Sport package, which includes sportier suspension tuning, flashier alloys, a racier-looking steering wheel, and sportier interior trim. There’s a 272-hp, 3.0-liter common-rail in-line six underhood, with a very impressive 413 lb-ft of torque. The diesel six far outpowers the 530i, which makes 255 hp and 220 lb-ft, and even exceeds the 360 lb-ft of torque made by the top 550i model’s 4.8-liter gas V-8. By the numbers, with the six-speed auto the 535d can get to 62 mph in only 6.5 seconds and to a top speed of 155 mph.

While the A6 impressed us with its quieter-than-gasoline, unobtrusive, and faster-than-perceived nature (it’s easy to lose track and speed), the 535d knocked our socks off. The six definitely has more of that old diesel character, with a strident clatter just off idle, but at the same time it feels like an old big-block V-8, roaring away from stoplights with a seductive burly sound that sounds a bit like an old M3 at full roar.

American buyers are used to diesel cars as being heavy and mushier than their gasoline counterparts, with dull responses. The 535d — especially with the M package here — runs counter to that stereotype, with a tight ride, quick steering, snappy shifts, and the same dynamic feel you get with BMW’s other sedans.

We intentionally kept the windows rolled down on both of these models, and never caught a whiff of smoke.

In a rather short, aggressive driving loop of just a few miles, we saw converted fuel-economy figures of about 24 miles per gallon on the A6 and, considering the even more stellar performance, 25 miles per gallon on the 5-Series.

Bring them on. They can’t come soon enough.--Bengt Halvorson

Emissions Noose Tightens for Automakers—TheCarConnection.com

Posted in : 2007, Audi, BMW, Diesels, Shoppers |

Previous Post
The Week in Reverse

Next Post
HUMMER Wedding Unites Couple, Marketing

16 Responses to “I’m Ready for Eurodiesels”

Pages: [2] 1 » Show All Comments

***# European “DIESEL!?????.

For what ever reason, would anybody, buy a European Diesel!.

They : STINK!, are SLUGS of an Engine, Overly “PRICED”!,[including ,all labor and parts also associated maintenance]!,.

Never been able to get out of there own way{to think! their gasoline engines are about the same}, [Excluding some fairly recent upgrades!].

There “DIESEL are only sold to the American public On some diluted, Sales Demented Tactic!. Of Fuel efficiency!.

GM’s!, Making a Diesel!; in the Late[70’s]to early[80’s] did not help any!.
*[Not that ford and others did not make a diesel].

Their [engine/gm’s] was deliberate to scare the consumer away!.

They failed often, cost to much had no SIGNIFICANT’ SAVINGS’ TO THE CONSUMER?.

Only when an American Manufacture attempted to “PLACE” an affordable DIESEL!, In an American made Truck[small/pick-up]{DODGE/Cummings},

Jeep: Liberty[4cly/diesel], That! was “not” going to cost the consumer an “ARM&LEG!.

Only than ; did all the others’ show up “OFFERING” theirs, ! and you have, guessed why!?.

To raise the PRICE and Get some “SHAM of a sales tactic, {something like] these are fuel efficient} (Hence therefor you have to pay a higher price)!.

**#, Like the Auto/Oil industry is losing MONEY??.

Current and modern Diesel, are a lot better than there counter-parts.

But all of it POINTS! to how much! of an, un-needed cost has “JUST” *GOT”S* to be added??.

so in reality diesel engine last longer than gasoline engine

We should have diesels in cars years ago, diesel torque is perfect for transportation type driving. ( hauling our butts hither & tither). Taking to Ford employees in Detroit they didn’t know why the higher ups were not willing to introduce the Euro technology over here? The Contour test mules were running around with diesels and where sent back to Europe. With the new CRD technology we should be looking at diesel before those nightmare hybrids. The battery technology has long way go. And the Lithium Ion technology is no where close either. Besides we can’t even get infrastructure in place to make E-85 to work the way it should. Not even worth thinking or talking about hydrogen/fuel cells since the only way feasible today is converting natural gas and thats only feasible first in businesses or homes first. The next thing is the rechargeable hybrid from the power grid of course thats another infrastructure thats not ready for the extra load.
EPA alias gestapo, things have to change big time with that agency, it almost seems to be an entity all to itself. Last time heard it was funded by the taxpayers? What’s happened to common sense?
Ford even though I drive a 98 Mystake LS which I dearly love to drive and know of 99% the short cuts your bean-counter messed up a beautiful bang for the drivers car. Give us a couple CRD diesel choices in the Fusion/Milan or that same torque in the 500/Taurus/Edge is all that needed. I’ll even go back to work so I can afford to pay for it. (that another too long story of early forced retirement).
If not I have spare 98 13 months newer good for another 10 years almost ready to drive.

Well, it’s only been 6 days since my last post and today GM announces that Cadillac and Saturn will have Diesels in 2010. Thank you GM. I was not the fly on the wall in your boardroom.
Unfortunately, I can’t wait that long, but maybe I’ll trade in for a Cadillac CTS Diesel or Saturn Aura in 2011/12 if they’re available and get to own a domestic for the first time in my life!! I’ve been driving for 25 years and have never owned a domestic but thanks to GM’s announcement today, it may just happen.
Well Ford? You’re next! The F-150 and Expedition are way too big for me. How about a Fusion Diesel? Or a Lincoln MKZ? That would be nice.

I have owned a VW diesel for over 20 years, and bought it originally for the mileage. The Jetta now has 208,000 and runs as well as ever. I look forward to seeing the new VW clean diesels in 2008, and plan to buy one.
If you value your comfort, safety, and your purchasing dollar, forget the old thinking of what diesels used to be like, and look objectively at the new diesels coming…your due diligence and decerning study of the new diesels will reduce your driving costs for the next decade.
I want to see what VW and Honda have in their new diesels, and hope that ‘Detroit’ gets the marketing message soon!

The diesel vs. hybrid vs. gas debate is getting a bit argumentative and more often than not, statistics are used to favour one’s own position. If we take a pragmatic approach to this question, the answer is yes to all 3 and is the only answer. No one is asking North Americans to give up gas engines for diesel. North America is accustomed to gasoline engines and our infrastructure supports this. If every OE launched a diesel tomorrow in the USA we’d have some supply issues with diesel fuel. So no, diesel is not meant to replace gas or gas/hybrid or electric nor is it a justified additional cost for the average driver under 25,000km per year who would normally buy a 4 cylinder gas engine. The EU subsidizes diesel fuel to promote the technology for 2 reasons. Lower CO2 emissions, give Europeans manufacturers a technological edge to stay competitive.
So, yes, we will continue to have most vehicles with gas engines for the foreseeable future, and some will come with hybrid. (We’ll see how the Peugeot 308 Diesel/Hybrid does in Europe before anything similar hits American soil).
Hybrid’s have their place, city driving. They too are much more expensive than gas engines (need I remind everyone of Toyota’s incentives and US/Canadian government rebates?) and we’ve yet to see what happens when they really start to age and how this affect resale value. Hybrids are for those living within 50km of work (even highway) as stop n’ go traffic is the norm around any city now. The odd open road drive on a long weekend to grandma’s house won’t deter from the daily benefit.
Diesel is for those of us who commute 75km + (150km + daily) one way every day; salesmen who live on the road, or people who have to drive a lot for work like real estate agents, etc..
I have a 2000 VW TDI purchased in 1999. It has 340,000km on the clock and it runs as smooth and comfortably as the day I bought it and I average 990km per tank (low fuel warning) driving 120 to 140km/h (with only 90hp) on open road plus the stop and go when I near the city. I live 105km one way from the office (210km per day) and I see the same people in the same cars driving nearly the same distance every morning so I am not the only one. I average an additional 20,000km per year driving in Europe and I always rent a diesel. I have no doubt my car will drive comfortably to 500,000km+ and that’s with changing the oil every 20,000km using the correct oil so my maintenance costs are certainly no worse than a gas engine. So much for that argument…. Being a manual transmission, I’ve only serviced the brakes twice, changed rear shocks once and finally replaced the factory battery this past winter and on my fourth set of tires. The glow plugs were replaced but it turns out we found the real problem only later which was corrosion on an electrical connector.
I won’t buy another vehicle until I have some choice in diesels. I am really sorry the Big 3 don’t get it. I would buy a Ford Fusion, Saturn Aura, Cadillac CTS, 2008 Chevy Malibu, Chrysler Sebring, Dodge Avenger, Lincoln MKZ, Ford Edge in a heartbeat if they stuffed a diesel into it. But no, I’m forced to buy an Import. Who cares if it adds $2000 to $4000 to the price above a 4 cyl. base model when that’s what you’d pay for a V6 anyway?! The diesel 4 is usually the same or better torque as most gas V6’s available in similar models so what’s the problem? Who needs horse power when we have 65mph/100km/h speed limits? Most gas 4 bangers will do fine at 80 to 90 mph even loaded up. We buy the gas V6’s for the torque so why not spend the same money on a diesel? (Ford, are you listening? Two turbo gas engines won’t last unless you build them as robustly as a diesel!) Do the number of cylinders matter? We need to stop talking about Horsepower and begin referring to torque which is what we actually feel when we drive.
If I bought a vehicle with a gas engine, it won’t last, depreciation is a killer, I’ll spend too much on fuel/repairs and worse for me, have to fill up twice a week rather than once as I do now (something we tend to forget). At 5:00am, this makes a difference, especially when it’s -20C outside! (I live in Canada)
I’m willing to bet we could improve the real debate if one manufacturer made a gas 4 cyl., gas 6 cyl., gas/hybrid and diesel available for the same model (I really thought Honda Accord would be the first, but the Hybrid’s now dead). Line them up, don’t tell the potential buyer what’s under the hood (remove external badging), put a price tag on the driver’s side rear window with the new EPA MPG guidelines, throw the keys at them and go for a ride. So Mr. Consumer…. will it be, car number 1, car number 2, car number 3 or car number 4? That would be a true “driving test” for Road & Track, Car and Driver, or any of the other mags who claim to know what they’re talking about. Comparing a BMW 535d with an Audi A6 3.0 TDI here in North America is a bit pointless and it has publicity stunt written all over it. (don’t get me wrong, I love both of them!!)

P.S. what’s holding back the European OEM’s from launching more diesels is the lower value greenback compared to the Euro (they’re losing money in North America as it is), the EPA only just recently approved Urea additives with SCR systems so only now can they commit production (including cutting purchase orders to their suppliers), and the supply of engines, injection systems, exhaust systems, transmissions. They can barely keep up in Europe as it is. “Publicly” they’re debating the “Is the USA ready” to get some free press so when diesels do hit, the public is somewhat educated and they don’t walk into a dealership only thinking “hybrid”. This is not a technical or environmental issue folks, it’s business and politics….