Rumormill: Next Mazdaspeed3 to go diesel?

Filed under: Hatchback, Mazda, Rumormill, Diesel

File this in the drawer labeled “Only Remotely,” but Mazda U.S. VP of product development Robert Davis allowed that the company is considering a diesel engine for the next Mazdaspeed3. Based on the report in Car and Driver, it looks like that’s as far as this has gotten: a diesel is on the table. Beyond that, none of the ‘pros’ mentioned seem to make a case for it, and the ‘cons’ make a case against it.

The idea is made possible by the fact that whippersnappers getting into a Mazdaspeed3 aren’t against diesel engines, being more familiar with modern clean diesels than the particulate monsters of yore. But if Mazda boosted its diesel Sky engine for the purpose of being a high performance engine, the frugality benefits of the engine would be erased. Then there’s that whole issue of additional heaps of diesel torque, and the additional heaps of torque steer that Mazda would have to engineer out of the car.

So it is perhaps best to take from this that a diesel engine for the next Mazdaspeed3 is a distant option, which could be seen as another crack in the wall. And while “Only Remotely” doesn’t mean impossible, we wouldn’t place any wagers on such a thing happening this next go-round.

Photos copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL

[Source: Car and Driver]

Rumormill: Next Mazdaspeed3 to go diesel? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Aug 2010 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Well, you don’t see a classic diesel Mercedes E-Class wagon drift everyday

Filed under: Wagon, Videos, Mercedes-Benz, Diesel

This might be one of the coolest things we’ve ever seen… this year. There are hundreds of videos floating around the ‘net of people drifting their hotted-up Nissan Zs, Ford Mustangs or Big Wheels around race tracks, public roads and abandoned airports, but this driver earns some extra bonus points for pulling it off in a vintage Mercedes-Benz E-Class. Diesel. Wagon.

As if you needed more reason to click through the jump and watch the video in its nearly seven-minute entirety, know that this driver not only has good taste in drift cars, but he has some serious skills to boot. Now, if we could only see this video remade starring the 2011 Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG wagon… Hat tip to Anders!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Well, you don’t see a classic diesel Mercedes E-Class wagon drift everyday

Video: Well, you don’t see a classic diesel Mercedes E-Class wagon drift everyday originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Aug 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Audi A5 Sportback could come to the States, A8 diesel due next year

Filed under: Sedan, Audi, Diesel

The arrival of the Audi A7 in the U.S. is almost a given, designed to slot in – predictably – between the A6 and all-new A8, while finally providing Audi with a Mercedes-Benz CLS competitor. But what of the A5 Sportback?

According to our sources, the success of the A7 will play a key role in Audi’s decision to import the A5 Sportback into the States. If the A7 is well received, the Sportback could be slotted in as a smaller alternative to the larger A7 and its closest competitor, the CLS. We haven’t been given a timeline on when the A7 could arrive, but with the European launch happening early next year, a Stateside debut in 2011 isn’t out of the question.

Audi’s product expansion isn’t just limited to new models, but includes the continued proliferation of available drivetrains. To that end, a diesel-powered A8 should arrive in the U.S. sometime next year.

When the A8 goes on sale this November, both the standard and long-wheelbase versions will launch simultaneously, each packing Audi’s 372 horsepower 4.2-liter FSI V8. The 500-hp W12, however, won’t be an option on the A8L until the first quarter of 2011. If Audi decides to equip the A8 with a diesel, expect the same 3.0-liter V6 TDI fitted to the refreshed Q7, outputting around 225 hp and 406 pound-feet of torque.

Audi A5 Sportback could come to the States, A8 diesel due next year originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Porsche reconsidering diesel Cayenne for North America

Filed under: SUV, Porsche, Canada, Diesel, Luxury

Audi, Mercedes, BMW and VW offer their premium SUVs in diesel flavors, and that’s got Porsche rethinking its stance re: the Cayenne. According to a Porsche PR rep in Canada, the American managers are thinking about bringing the oil-burner this way in order to fill that hole. Two years ago, Porsche tested and then confirmed a diesel Cayenne for the American market that would use Audi’s 3.0 TDI. It was supposed to arrive early last year; obviously, that never happened.

We drove the Euro-spec diesel Cayenne last year, and walked away thinking it’s a “no-brainer for the American market.” With the new Cayenne having lost all that weight and increased its performance, a diesel engine would pull even better. And if the numbers stand, with overall diesel-vehicle sales in North America predicted to hit around 250,000 units in 2014, it could be that Porsche thinks it’s a no-brainer as well.

[Source: Times Colonist]

Report: Porsche reconsidering diesel Cayenne for North America originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 31 Jul 2010 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: New Land Rover 4.4L diesel not U.S.-bound, but next one probably will be

Filed under: SUV, Land Rover, Diesel

It really is too bad, at least for us Americans, that U.S. and European emission standards aren’t in sync. The misaligned standards prevent many automakers from offering us Yanks the latest and greatest in fuel efficient diesel engines already available overseas. The disappointing trend continues with the 2011 Range Rover, as Land Rover rather predictably tuned its new oil burning 4.4-liter V8 for Euro-only duty.

But while we won’t be able to experience a diesel Land Rover that can hit 30 miles per gallon in the European combined cycle, Autocar reports that the next generation of the engine will in fact be ready for U.S. duty. Insiders at the Tata Motors-owned automaker reportedly told the UK site that the next-gen diesel will “very likely to come to the U.S.” Our friends overseas are just now getting their hands on the first 4.4-liter diesel Range Rovers, so the next diesel isn’t likely to surface until 2014 or 2015.

[Source: Autocar]

Report: New Land Rover 4.4L diesel not U.S.-bound, but next one probably will be originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Ford 6.7-liter Power Stroke Diesel to churn out 800 lb-ft of torque

Filed under: Truck, Work, Ford, GM

In February, the specs on Ford’s 6.7-liter Power Stroke turbo-diesel V8 were announced: 390 horsepower and 735 pound-feet of torque. A month later, General Motors laid out the specs on its 6.6-liter Duramax turbo-diesel: 397 hp and 765 lb-ft. According to PickupTrucks.com, the Duramax could be shoved to the corner again later this year, when a high-output Super Duty blows out the footlights with 400 hp and 800 – or more – lb-ft of twisting gumption.

According to the unknown source within the Blue Oval, Ford’s new 6R140 TorqShift six-speed transmission has strong enough guts that Ford can open up the taps on that engine a bit. And give GM something to think about. If this absurdly powerful dream does come true, the behemoth motor will be seen in the second wave of 2011 Super Duty pickups that begin production in a few months. No word on whether early adopters of the 6.7-liter will get a free upgrade.

[Source: PickupTrucks.com]

Report: Ford 6.7-liter Power Stroke Diesel to churn out 800 lb-ft of torque originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan Murano gets first-ever diesel, snarlier new fascia… just not in the States

Filed under: Europe, Crossover, Nissan, UK, Diesel

The last time we found ourselves strapped behind the steering wheel of a Nissan Murano, we wrote the following:

What the Murano engineers did right was the powertrain. The matchmaker who hooked up the VQ with the Xtronic CVT deserves a promotion. In fact, after spending countless hours with the pair, we observed that it just may be the perfect mechanical marriage for this vehicle.

A perfect powertrain… for the United States, perhaps. As we all know, diesel is the name of the game across the pond in Europe, and Nissan has never offered its attractive midsize crossover with an oil burner. Until now, that is. For the 2011 model year, Nissan has fitted the Murano with an optional 2.5-liter four-cylinder diesel powerplant that musters up 190 horsepower and over 330 pound-feet of torque (450 newton meters).

This new torque-rich engine finds itself mated up to a six-speed automatic transmission with Adaptive Shift Control in lieu of the gasoline-powered model’s continuously variable unit. This combination delivers estimated fuel economy of 29 miles per gallon U.S. (35.3 mpg U.K.) on the Combined Cycle while emitting 210 grams of carbon emissions per kilometer. These figures are no doubt aided by the Murano’s first electric power regeneration system.

That’s not the only update our European friends get that we’ve yet to see in the States. Taking a close look at our high-res image gallery will reveal a more aggressive front fascia that Nissan claims was engineered to provide additional cooling airflow to the new diesel engine. It remains to be seen if the new toothy grin will show up in other markets, like, uh… ours. In any case, the diesel-equipped 2011 Murano will start at £37,795 in the UK – that’s a startling $58,000 USD, although that figure includes the UK’s massive Value Added Tax, among other market-specific considerations. See the complete press release after the break.

[Source: Nissan]

Continue reading Nissan Murano gets first-ever diesel, snarlier new fascia… just not in the States

Nissan Murano gets first-ever diesel, snarlier new fascia… just not in the States originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Honda to abandon clean diesel development, focus on hybrids

Filed under: Hybrid, Japan, Plants/Manufacturing, Honda, Diesel

Regular readers know we tend to be big fans of modern diesel engines. All the past demons that had plagued oil-burners over the years have been exorcised, including rough running, nasty smells, loud operation and narrow power bands. But sadly, modern clean diesel powerplants have never taken hold in the United States.

According to the Nikkei in Japan (via Reuters), we can add Honda to the list of global automakers that have abandoned plans to move further into the diesel realm. Instead, Honda will continue to puts all of its eggs in the hybrid basket, developing a new system for use in larger vehicles. Currently, Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist technology is used in the Civic Hybrid and the Insight.

We can only hope that Honda’s next hybrid system will expand on its current IMA tech, which has been unable to match the fuel efficiency and performance of rival Toyota, by being able to operate on the electric motor alone for longer stretches.

In addition to halting development of clean diesel tech, Honda has also put the brakes on the new microcar plant in Japan that was to build future Kei cars for the automaker’s home market.

[Source: Reuters]

Report: Honda to abandon clean diesel development, focus on hybrids originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Jul 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nissan X-Trail gets modest refresh, new diesel

Filed under: SUV, Japan, Nissan, Canada, Diesel, Off-Road

Our neighbors to the north may recall the Nissan X-Trail a little better than the rest of us. The Japanese manufacturer recently stopped sale of the SUV in Canada, which a shame considering what’s on offer for 2011. Next year, buyers in other parts of the world will be able to snap up their X-Trail with an efficient clean-diesel engine bolted to a six-speed automatic transmission. Power figures for the engine and auto trans combo are still MIA, but Nissan claims that the mill will be capable of power on par with a 3.5-liter V6.

The rest of the changes to the globe-wandering SUV are mostly aesthetic. Outside, the truck gets a slightly reworked front fascia, including the headlights, bumper and grille, along with LED tail lights. Inside, the driver is treated to larger gauges and a new vehicle information display, while passengers get to play with an all-new heated or cooled glove box. Looks like a little bundle of SUV joy to us. Hit the jump for the press release.

[Source: Nissan]

Continue reading Nissan X-Trail gets modest refresh, new diesel

Nissan X-Trail gets modest refresh, new diesel originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Jul 2010 18:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Audi developing new diesel fuel cap to avoid misfills

Filed under: Audi, Diesel

Audi is following BMW by introducing a mechanism to prevent misfueling of diesel vehicles with gasoline. It’s generally not possible to put diesel into a gasoline-powered vehicle as the larger diesel nozzles won’t fit in the filler neck. However, the smaller gas nozzles will fit in the diesel neck. Audi’s system, similar to the one used by BMW, adds a flap in the neck to prevent fuel flow. The flap only opens if the nozzle presses on contact points just below the cap. The smaller gasoline nozzle won’t be be able to hit all of the contacts at once and the flap will prevent fuel from getting into the tank. Apparently, the improved refinement of modern diesel engines has led to an increase in misfueling in recent years, prompting both BMW and Audi to add the new feature. BMW has had this mechanism in all of its diesel vehicles since early 2009 and Audi’s system is set to appear next year.

[Source: AutoCar]

Report: Audi developing new diesel fuel cap to avoid misfills originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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