TornadoRed
Top Post Dawg
- Joined
- Aug 3, 2003
- Location
- West Des Moines (formerly St Paul)
- TDI
- 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, silver; 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, indigo blue; 2003 Golf GL 5-spd, red (PARTED); 2003 Golf GLS 5-spd, indigo blue (SOLD); 2003 Jetta TDI wagon, Candy White (SOLD)
from Forbes (http://www.forbes.com/sites/dalebuss/2012/08/07/diesel-joins-hybrids-showing-stronger-growth-in-u-s-sales/)
Volkswagen plans to boost its output of the Turbo Direct Injection clean-diesel version of its Passat midsize sedan made in Tennessee because of greater-than-expected demand. While diesel units currently account for about 20 percent of Passat sales in the U.S., Jonathan Browning, CEO of Volkswagen of America, said recently that he expects VW to “be able to sustain something longer-term on Passat above 25 percent TDI going forward.”
“It’s not just an economic argument that people respond to” in purchasing clean-diesel versions of Passat, because of the significantly higher mileage yield of diesel fuel over gasoline, he told journalists. “It’s also the convenience of relatively infrequent trips to the gas station and the process of refueling. People enjoy the fact that you get extended mileage from TDI between refuels.”
(snip)
[T]he Forum reported that U.S. hybrid car sales improved by nearly 64 percent during the first half when diesel sales were up by 28 percent; the overall car market was up by 15 percent. These figures seem to indicate that both technologies are gaining important new traction with U.S. consumers... even as many makers are able to boast of significantly higher mileage for their conventionally gasoline-powered models.
(snip)
With more than 15 new clean-diesel models designated for the U.S. market in the next two years, even further substantial increases in diesel sales seem to be on the horizon. According to the Forum, the new models will include clean-diesel versions of the Volkswagen Beetle; Audi A6, A8 and Q5 next year and a diesel version of A4 as early as next year; new BMWs with both new 2.0-liter and 3.o-liter inline-six-cylinder engines to expand its existing clean-diesel lineup in the U.S.; a new Jeep Grand Cherokee Ecodiesel planned by Chrysler for 2014; new diesel versions of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class line as well as other new diesels that will give the brand a total of eight diesel models by 2014; diesel versions of the new Cadillac ATS and Chevrolet Cruze next year; and the first mainstream diesel to be offered by an Asian manufacturer in a new Mazda model. (end of quote)
In my opinion, the most important of these models will be the Chevy Cruze, because if it is widely accepted by the auto-buying public then there's no reason why a diesel option can't be offered for every model by every manufacturer.
Volkswagen plans to boost its output of the Turbo Direct Injection clean-diesel version of its Passat midsize sedan made in Tennessee because of greater-than-expected demand. While diesel units currently account for about 20 percent of Passat sales in the U.S., Jonathan Browning, CEO of Volkswagen of America, said recently that he expects VW to “be able to sustain something longer-term on Passat above 25 percent TDI going forward.”
“It’s not just an economic argument that people respond to” in purchasing clean-diesel versions of Passat, because of the significantly higher mileage yield of diesel fuel over gasoline, he told journalists. “It’s also the convenience of relatively infrequent trips to the gas station and the process of refueling. People enjoy the fact that you get extended mileage from TDI between refuels.”
(snip)
[T]he Forum reported that U.S. hybrid car sales improved by nearly 64 percent during the first half when diesel sales were up by 28 percent; the overall car market was up by 15 percent. These figures seem to indicate that both technologies are gaining important new traction with U.S. consumers... even as many makers are able to boast of significantly higher mileage for their conventionally gasoline-powered models.
(snip)
With more than 15 new clean-diesel models designated for the U.S. market in the next two years, even further substantial increases in diesel sales seem to be on the horizon. According to the Forum, the new models will include clean-diesel versions of the Volkswagen Beetle; Audi A6, A8 and Q5 next year and a diesel version of A4 as early as next year; new BMWs with both new 2.0-liter and 3.o-liter inline-six-cylinder engines to expand its existing clean-diesel lineup in the U.S.; a new Jeep Grand Cherokee Ecodiesel planned by Chrysler for 2014; new diesel versions of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class line as well as other new diesels that will give the brand a total of eight diesel models by 2014; diesel versions of the new Cadillac ATS and Chevrolet Cruze next year; and the first mainstream diesel to be offered by an Asian manufacturer in a new Mazda model. (end of quote)
In my opinion, the most important of these models will be the Chevy Cruze, because if it is widely accepted by the auto-buying public then there's no reason why a diesel option can't be offered for every model by every manufacturer.