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More Diesel Propaganda: Chrysler 300 CRD

As I had previously discussed, suppliers are really priming the US media about diesel technology. Sine the WSJ is still free today, I thought I'd provide a link to another diesel story. The writer borrowed a Chrysler 300 CRD from "from a friend in the business" but I think that's code for the Robert Bosch Corp. Any hoo, the CRD returned 28 miles per gallon in city and highway driving as opposed to 22MPG for the gasoline V6. The writer's opinion? "What's not to like?" The article revisits all the same stuff we already know, low sulfur diesel is coming to the USA shortly and that means that we'll see an influx of diesel powered vehicles in the USA in 2007/2008.

A couple of things I found interesting: we already know that DaimlerChrysler will eventually have a 50 state legal diesel, but apparently so does VW: "In 2008, VW's plan is to offer new diesels in virtually all its mainstream models that are clean enough for all 50 states, says VW of America spokesman Steve Keyes. Among the new models -- a diesel Rabbit." In the short term beware that 2007 VW's don't have the technology to meet clean air standards, so if you're thinking about a VW diesel you might want to pick up a 2006 while the getting is good. Also, apparently even manufacturers that have been coy on their diesel plans are bullish (well, at least according to Bosch): "All of the (car makers) Japanese, European and American, are all very bullish on diesel," says Bosch's Mr. Moulton. "Even if they're not stating that." Link to the story is here.

Update: Well speak of the devil...No sooner had I published this story and I find this Aublog post that refers to another diesel article. In this article, diesel plans of other automakers are discussed (BMW, Audi and Volvo). It's interesting to me that Audi is saying "Our decision hasn’t been made for the US" when it's sister division VW is saying that 2008 will see 50 state legal diesels. This article again confirms that starting in 2008 we should see a bumper crop of new diesels.

One funny quote is from BMW's Tom Purves about the acceptance and infrastructure needs of diesels in the USA: “If I would have come to you 100 years ago with a concept for a car, and I told you I can either bring you a car with an electric motor, or one with steam power, or one with an engine that had controlled explosions, which car would you have invested in? If I had said controlled explosions, you would never have backed it.” Glad to hear that BMW is confident about diesels in the USA!

Click here to read the article from Diesel Forecast.