2008 Jetta TDI sighted!!! (pics)

v8volvo · September 21st, 2006, 21:31

All right, big news: I personally was in the presence of a 2008-model Jetta TDI this afternoon! It was at the Boston "Altwheels" festival as a clean-diesel demonstrator car, and will be there tomorrow and Saturday as well for any who want to see it in person. The car was beautiful, and seemed to be set up in an unusual way. It had a 6-speed manual, a nav system, leatherette seats, GTI-style projector headlamps, really nice uplevel wheels, and of course the new-generation 2.0L Common Rail TDI, which they said is clean enough for 50-state certification.

I spoke extensively with the VW guys who brought the car there--one was an emissions chief in Michigan named Norbert, with a German accent, and the other was a government-relations honcho based in DC--and they were a little vague on the details, but at least they let me take some pictures. They said the engine has about 140hp and 240lb-ft, and would start out in Jettas but probably end up in at least the Rabbit as well, and maybe more models beyond that. From what I could tell looking at the engine (they wouldn't let me pull the plastic cover off), it has a timing belt arrangement like the old VE-pump cars, with what might be a high-pressure fuel supply/lift pump mounted where the rotary injection pump went on the older motors. Everything else looked like it does on a current-model Jetta PD. The redline looked to be at about 4500 rpm, so basically where it is now. I have to say, this engine was so quiet I literally had trouble believing it was a diesel. It was far quieter than the new Toyota Camry gasser idling next to it, for instance. They said there is extensive exhaust aftertreatment, including catalyst, particle filter, etc, but no urea injection (a good thing, I'd say).

Anyway, these guys seemed really supportive of increased diesel presence in the US, saying that the TDIs had been selling like hotcakes with demand well exceeding supply and prices/profits very high (like that's news to any of us).

Here's what it looked like:

There was also this kind of counterproductive garbage there, of course:

I'll be there tomorrow and Saturday, so if anyone shows up keep an eye out for me. There was also a guy with a '98 Beetle TDI that he'd put an Elsbett conversion into.

TDIMeister · September 21st, 2006, 23:11

Why do you consider the other cars there "garbage"?

BleachedBora · September 22nd, 2006, 00:08

140 hp? Not bad--now get RC on to it along with some nozzles and bump it up to 250 hp or so!

-BB

leicaman · September 22nd, 2006, 00:10

So did you find out if VW has required yet a different oil yet for the new uber-clean TDI cars?

justpaddlek1 · September 22nd, 2006, 02:13

Glad to see its still the A5 Platform so we get more replacement parts here in the US to improve avail in the future.

Looks like a win-win but did they offer any MPG ratings for the 2.0 CRD?

g-man · September 22nd, 2006, 02:36

....S W E E E E E E E E T !!!!!

"They said the engine has about 140hp and 240lb-ft...6sp manual"

I'm waiting for this one

1998993C2S · September 22nd, 2006, 03:22

The VW salesman called the other day as the ordered MY06.5 Jetta TDI has landed at the dealership. Emm?? If I were to hold off buying the 1.9 TDI just now, the reward would be the dynamic's of the 2.0 common rail Jetta....next Fall... What's not to like!

Shrubman · September 22nd, 2006, 04:16

Man, The Jetta Story gets more riveting everyday. Looks nice!

E

fase2000TDI · September 22nd, 2006, 04:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by TDIMeister

Why do you consider the other cars there "garbage"?

beacause the other is a flex fuel monster that probably gets 12mpg gasoline, and 10 if you're actually able to fuel up on ethanol.

Flex fuel is bull****.

The other hydrogen fuel cell, runs on hydrogen fuel cells, right?. How do you produce hydrogen? A chemical reaction. It takes electricity or some sort of energy to produce hydrogen. 75% of our electricity comes from burning of petro fuels, one form or another. If cars ran on fuel cells, the need for electricity would go up and as such more fossile fuel would be burnt.

fuel cells running on hydrogen created from electricity produced by fossile fuel burning are bull****!

PlaneCrazy · September 22nd, 2006, 05:10

I sure hope it's 50-state legal. Canada just announced that by 2010 we will follow California emission regulations:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servl.../National/home

Which would be the kiss of death for diesels in Canada unless the new generation TDIs are California compliant. I know the new 2007 Mercedes CDI is 45-state only until certification of the urea injection system.

cptmox · September 22nd, 2006, 05:15

That is a super nice ride, and should have decent pop with that sort of oomph under the hood.

However, I bought a TDI for MPGs.

Taking into account the increased size and weight of the new body style, the larger more powerful engine, and the more restrictive exhaust system, we need to make some guesstimations.

Here's mine: 33 city - 41 highway

And what about price?

oilhammer · September 22nd, 2006, 05:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by TDIMeister

Why do you consider the other cars there "garbage"?

Because I bet that Avalanche can burn through corn ethanol like a fat man through Krispy Kremes, and THAT seems very counterproductive to me. Self sufficiency starts with conservation, and that Avalanche and others like it are an oxymoron.

Beasts like that make me ashamed to be American.

drshaws · September 22nd, 2006, 05:23

Super sweet indeed. I must've missed it being rolled about by an hour or two, as I walked through Gov't Center around 4:30 yesterday and nothing was out yet.

On a side new-model note - went to get some parts at North Shore VW in Beverly, MA and got to play with an Eos' roof. Also pretty sweet. Gimme a 6-spd TDI Eos (like I can buy in the UK), and it'd be in the driveway tomorrow.

drwho · September 22nd, 2006, 05:43

I am going to probably wait until 2009 to get one, IF I can get one. OR I should say if it is available. If diesel stays too high above gasoline, we can forget about seeing this car or any passenger diesel car here. I would wait until 2009 to give time for the bugs to be worked out on this motor. It all sounds good, but it better be more fuel efficient than what we have now. I just hope if we have diesel passenger cars, there will be more choices available.

ARBY · September 22nd, 2006, 05:55

I'll swing by VAG HQ this weekend (its on my normal training route) and see if I can spot any others. I'm surprised I haven't seen this yet as most of the new VAG products can been be seen driving in this area.