That is why I got VAG-COM, repair/service manuals for both Jetta and Passat and three reputable repair facilities that are not affiliated in any way with VW North America or VW AG for that matter. And I also have two, oh-no, three part-time jobs to pay for all these luxuries.mickeyyeety said:snip The only ones actually delivering on their diesel promises are MB, BMW, and VW/Audi. snip ..
Problem with that is that it is against Mazda's marketing. It is all about the "zoom-zoom". My wife's 3 is definitely along that philosophy. My wife thinks my Jetta is a boat in comparison to her "zippy" car.booty said:Mazda needs to sell diesels in the USA like a Mazda 3 or Mazda 6 with a diesel that is optimized for mileage, not power. Also make sure a stick shift is available across the product line. VW has lost their way with the current TDI line that gets 10 to 15% worse mileage than the ALH models. This is the reason my daily driver today is a Altima instead of a Jetta.
If they would make a Mazda 6 that gets in the high 40's on the highway I would buy it.
Agree. Talk is cheap. Deeds speak.leicaman said:In regards to other makers bringing out diesels, the proof will be when it arrives at the dealership. Other than that it is cheap talk.
Not quite sure I'm following you. Are you saying that the German Big-Three would bring 'better' diesels if Mazda entered the N.A. market?fastalan said:Then I hope Mazda does bring in their diesel passenger cars and SUVs into the north American market very soon. The modern clean diesel car industry can't rely on the already sold older diesel cars and from BMW/Audi/VW/Merc selling only a couple thousands diesel cars a month to justify improving the infrastructure, eg. more efficient higher quality diesel fuel and wider availability of bodiless. Besides, more competitions from Mazda will only urge the Germans to bring in even better products, they got tons of good diesel goodies all over the world, just not letting us a chance to buy them. It's been too easy for VW to sell their diesel cars, they have no competition and that is not necessarily a good sign.
I think he means a better selection of diesel models... not better diesels.DnA Diesel said:Not quite sure I'm following you. Are you saying that the German Big-Three would bring 'better' diesels if Mazda entered the N.A. market?
Yes, I meant more selection.cmitchell said:I think he means a better selection of diesel models... not better diesels.
One of the factors is that the German Big 3 (VWAG, MB, BMW) were developing diesel solutions to EURO 5/6 standards anyway. They then accelerated (and tweaked) them to comply with the EPA's Tier 2 Bin 5 standard, which has similar (slightly higher) particulate limits, but is two times more stringent than EURO 6 regarding NOx limits.mickeyyeety said:It seems that the Japanese have always been all talk and no show, unlike the Germans. VW promised us the CRD TDI, and it took them awhile to make it, but at least it's here, I mean, it's IN most of our driveways. But look at Acura. They claimed they couldn't make an automatic transmission that met standards, but in reality, they decided to make the Insight, which is a POS and MUCH MUCH cheaper, but that isn't the point. When you promise it, you should follow thru, which is something the Germans have been doing, NOT the Japanese. (Examples: Acura diesel, toyota tundra diesel, Maxima Diesel)
Then how the hell was VW, BMW, Audi, Merc able to do it? The BMW even has twin-turbos and is faster than probably every Acura out there...
Yes, they have to, no choice, but the 3 took the additional step of further reducing NOx to EPA standards well in advance of Euro 5/6.DPM said:Surely everyone selling into the Eurozone is moving towards Euro5/6, not just the "big 3"
Makes sense sense since Freightliner and Western-Star have access to MB's technology through Daimler.DnA Diesel said:... It's on the three's cars here, as well as on-road trucks. I was recently talking with a trucker at a truck stop, and commented that his exhaust stack was as clean as my 335d's exhaust tips. We spoke about SCR and the use of DEF and he showed me a rather large 40 gal DEF tank, as well as a smaller 5 or 6 gal heated DEF tank used by the truck's SCR system. That's definitely bigger than the 7L unit tucked away in my car!
Regards
Sounds like 2-3yr from now- at best.dieselyeti said:After reading about Mazda's plans to bring their new Sky-D diesel to the US (skeptic mode on) I emailed their PR guy in CA. Jeremy Barnes told me there's been no official announcement to what vehicle the diesel will debut in (I've read both CX-7 and Mazda 6). He said they'd make an announcement as they get closer to their on-sale date in about 18 months. Hopefully they don't bail like Honda & Subaru did.
x2, the 6 wagons were nice.Trbogolf said:A diesel 6 would be nice. I really like the new design (like the JDM better). I only wish they would have kept the wagon or were bringing it back.
Agreed. I like the look of the 6 and think a diesel version would be a winner. For that matter, a diesel CX-7 crossover would be the first of its kind and possibly a segment-buster.Trbogolf said:A diesel 6 would be nice. I really like the new design (like the JDM better). I only wish they would have kept the wagon or were bringing it back.
A diesel 6 would be nice. I really like the new design (like the JDM better). I only wish they would have kept the wagon or were bringing it back.
Rub it in why don't ya? I guess I should be happy I don't live in Europe. I wouldn't be able to decide what vehicle to buy with so many good options.
Well, Europe gets a range of multiple diesel Mazda6 wagons.
It is welcome to have a bit of good press on diesel for North America from a non-German automaker.O’Sullivan says criticism Mazda lacks “green” vehicles, such as hybrids and electric vehicles is unwarranted. The auto maker recently inked a pact with Toyota to share hybrid technology, he notes, and plans to bring to North America its new fuel-efficient 4-cyl. Sky-G direct-injection gas engine and Sky-D diesel mill. Its 6-speed automatic Sky Drive will arrive as early as 2011.
“We’re the only ones bringing diesels in right now of any of the Asian brands, and we think that’s pretty significant news,” he says.
As for pure EVs, O’Sullivan remains skeptical. “What portion of the global market in the next 10 years will really be EVs? Hybrids, I definitely agree there’s growth potential. But even hybrids will have a gas or diesel engine.”
The first Sky-G engine, a 1.3L 4-cyl., arrives in Japan in mid-2011. Three months later, the high-volume 2.0L 4-cyl. bows in Asia, North America and Australia.
In early 2012, Europe receives both the 2.0L Sky-G and the 2.2L Sky-D. The diesel engine then hits the Japanese market three months later and debuts in North America in early 2013, executives say.
The diesel engine, with twin turbochargers, offers an unusually low compression ratio, also 14:1. And like its rival, the 2.0L I-4 turbodiesel from Volkswagen AG, Mazda’s 2.2L Sky-D can meet oxides of nitrogen emissions requirements in Europe and the U.S. without an expensive urea aftertreatment system.
Although preliminary, the Sky-G is expected to achieve 30/40 mpg (7.8-5.8 L/100 km) in city/highway driving, while Sky-D is anticipated to get 32/43 mpg (7.3-5.5 L/100 km).
Based on the New European Driving Cycle, the Sky-D with manual transmission could be rated as high as 57 mpg (4.1 L/100 km).
The 2.2L diesel engine tentatively is rated at 160 hp and 310 lb.-ft. (420 Nm) of torque, while the 2.0L Sky-G produces 165 hp and 155 lb.-ft. (210 Nm) of torque.
For the near future, Mazda does not intend to add turbocharging to the gasoline engine to avoid the added cost, weight and complexity, says Seita Kanai, Mazda’s director and senior managing executive officer-R&D and program management.