What Was Available?

Hi, I'm new to these boards having lurked for the past few weeks. I currently have a friends searching for a (used) diesel Passat. However, as I discuss diesels with friends and family, other makes are suggested. Thus my question is this:

Who brought Diesels into the country and when?

For instance, BMW had a diesel 535i which they only imported in 1988 (I believe)

I know Mazda and Nissan had diesels but I don't know when. Also Peugeot, Volvo and of course Mercedes. Anyone interested in helping me compile a list? I'm not really interested in American Diesel but if others are we can do that too. Thanks in advance.

JP

BTW, I'm in Canada. I suspect some models might have been unique to Canada or the USA. Could you specify. Thanks.

Ford Ranger pickups were available w/ Diesels for a while late 80's/early 90's?
Izuzu pickups were also available w/Diesel until 3-4 years ago.

Izuzu I-Mark sedan and Chevette hatch used an Izuzu Diesel engine non-turbo.

I've seen Mercury Topaz Diesels - probably a Mazda engine, also one of Ford's small cars - I don't remember which, they rename them so often.

GM converted the 350 gasser to Diesel and put it in cars for a while, but that is the engine that gave Diesel such a bad name in the US.

You guys have others?

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88 VW FOX
94 Dodge/Cummins
95 BMW R1100RS

All these cars mentioned by Hollywood were built in the mid-1980s. This would make finding a sample in pretty good condition very difficult.
One other diesel from that era was the early to mid 1980's Volvo 6 cylinder 2.4 liter diesel. It is a VW diesel, identical to the 4 cylinder 1.6 liter engine that VW had in the Rabbits and Jettas of that era. If you want a more modern diesel in the U.S.A., you are limited to only VWs and Mercedi.
In Canada, you had VW mk.3 Golfs and Jettas available with a non-TDI 1.9 l. turbo-diesel good for 75 hp. Fuel economy was not as good as present TDIs.

[This message has been edited by cars wanted (edited November 07, 1999).]

I'll add a few more to the list

Audi 4000\5000
BMW 524td
Chevy Chevette, Caprice, Celebrity (As well as sister cars at Buick, Olds, Pontiac, Cadillac)
Ford\Mercury Escort\Lnyx, Tempo\Topaz
Lincoln Continental(BMW 2.4l)
Toyota Corolla, Camry
Nissan Sentra, Maxima
Mercedes 240, 300, 350
Volvo 240, 760
Isuzu I-Mark
Peugot 504d, 505d
VW Rabbit\Golf, Jetta, Quantum, Passat


What have I forgotten?

Don't forget the VW Dasher.

Interesting....that Volvo equiped their car with a VW diesel motor. Actually I was looking at some Volvo websites overseas and I found that in Europe you can order the new smaller volvo V40/S40 with a 95 hp version of our beloved VW 1.9 TDI... Its also available with a 5-speed tranny. Americans, of course, get stuck with a 1.9 turbo gas motor and an automatic only (boo! hiss!) Oh well.. Anyway i think it says alot for VW quality that Volvo also uses VW motors as OEM.

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ThinkDiesel

1999.5 Jetta GL TDI

Thinkdiesel:
I think the diesel engine used in the 40´s models of Volvo is a turbodiesel made by Renault ! They use parts of the Renault gasoline engines in the 40´s, too. To my knowledge, the only VW/Audi engine currently used in Volvo´s is the old 5-pot of my car with exactly the same power/torque output, but they match it with a 5-speed-gearbox or a 4-speed-auto.

The 6-cylinder engine (diesel) of the older Volvo´s was never used by VW in passenger cars, they only built it for the old LT, a midweight transporter. It had more room than the Bus/Transporter/Caravelle line and had RWD. The new LT is based on the MB Sprinter.

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´92 VW Polo G40 - 1272ccm charged to 113bhp
´97 Audi A6 Avant 2.5 TDI - 2461ccm turboed to 140bhp
HP: http://www.planet-interkom.de/CFriedriszik