It looks like the bad news keep coming for the US market. After announcing that the Alfa Romeo MiTo will no be offered on the US market, here’s another bad news: Mini will also not offer the Cooper D for us. But while for the MiTo the problem was its size, for the Mini the problem is the cost: converting European Diesel engine to US specifications will cost way to much for the car to be profitable.
Even if MINI USA charged 10%-15% more, they’d never make any money and at the end of the day based on our sources. On the other side of the equation, is MINI USA priced the car at 40%-50% more to pay for the re-engineering required, few would buy them at today’s moderately low fuel prices.
The cooper D is powered by a 1.6-litre diesel engine that delivers 108bhp. The car sprints from 0 to 60 mph in 9,9 seconds.
The German automaker BMW has announced plans to use diesel engines in their upcoming factory tuned lineup sports cars. Recently, the English journal AutoCar conducted an interview with Albert Biermann, the man who made the American Le Mans Series M3 GTR race car and headed up development of the award winning X5 SUV. Albert is currently serving as BMW’s M product manager and in the sit down he stated that: "With cars like the X5 and X6 M, the torque characteristics of diesel engines would make them the ideal choice, were it not for their unsporting character. I don’t think there’s a proven business case for big diesel-engined performance cars yet … but if that changes, we’ll be well placed to take advantage."
That is quite a bold statement considering that most M’s are sold right here in the good old U S of A and we haven’t been big fans of the less refined petroleum product. So Mr. Biermann is also tasked with turning America on to diesel fuel. He also announced that models like BMW Z4 M roadster and coupe models will not be replaced at the end of their production cycle: "The new Z4 is a heavy car … so it would be difficult to tune it effectively. Such an M car would also be hard to position [in the marketplace]; using the 4.0-litre V8 would position the car too close to the M3 Convertible, and the 3.2-litre, six-cylinder motor is no longer emissions-compliant."
Regarding a smaller more affordable entry level M based on the 1 Series roadster, the man at M had this to say: “I would love to produce this kind of car. It’s very difficult to make the numbers add up, but I know that I’m not the only person who likes the idea.” So hopefully Albert Biermann will succeed in his quest to turn the world onto diesel powered road going sports cars.
After first announcing their tuning kit for the diesel powered Porsche Cayenne at the Geneva Motor Show, the German tuners at TECHART have just revealed the latest details about their new ride.
The high performance tuners started their work under the hood. The 3.0 Liter turbo diesel power plant now delivers 290 HP and 465 lb-ft of torque. The alternatively fueled luxury vehicle can sprint from 0 to 60 MPH in 7.7 seconds while still getting 25.3 MPG from the two ton performance vehicle.
The customization program also includes a reworked suspension complimented by a set of 21 inch alloy wheels wrapped in Michelin Diamaris 4X4 XL, SUV specific rubber sized 295/35 R21. The front end receives a new front bumper with a deeper front spoiler and integrated running lights, lower side skirts and a new rear apron with integrated diffuser. Some simple head and taillight masks also accentuate the Cayenne’s sporty character. Finally, spent gasses exit through a pair of oval exhaust tips framed nicely by the TECHART rear valence.
The interior of the Cayenne is upgraded with trim upgrades that include light weight aluminum pedals and dead pedal as well as leather trimmed luxury logo floor mats. However the nicest touch comes from the three spoke TECHART sports steering wheel with Porsche airbag inside. The kit from TECHART can be all yours for only $24,200. That is not including the $4,000 engine kit or the Cayenne to put everything on, either way if you want a high quality high performance Porsche, you can’t go wrong with TECHART.
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Citroen has recently revealed the C-Cactus concept a couple of years ago at the 2007 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Due to this funky looking compact car’s warm reception from the public, the French automaker is seriously considering turning the concept car into full fledged production vehicle.
The C-Cactus is powered by a 70 HP HDi diesel engine combined with a particulate filter to clean the noxious gasses and an electric motor for additional propulsion, to the tune of 30 HP. The C-Cactus consumes slightly over 69 miles per gallon of diesel over a combined driving cycle; while emitting a very Euro important 78 g/km of CO2. If the U.S. can ever learn to accept the benefits of clean diesel technology we too could benefit from these efficient little machines.
The German automaker Porsche is already offering a 3.0 Liter V6 diesel option for the Cayenne SUV. However, the sports car maker is also considering a diesel powered Panamera sometime in the near future. "There are V6 and V8 diesels within the VW Group that could be used as a basis."
This means the company might add either same 240 HP 3.0 Liter V6 from the Cayenne, or even the 322 HP 4.2 Liter V8 alternatively fueled diesel borrowed from the Audi A8 thanks to the new Porsche VW alliance.
Next to a greener Panamera, Porsche is preparing a top of the line version of the four door super car that will sit above the current Turbo version and will be the equivalent to a Cayenne GTS.
The German variant of General Motors, Opel, has already released a green version of their popular four door Insignia model wearing the ecoFLEX badge, but that was it. Well now there is good news for fans of environmentally friendly wagons and estates, because Opel has just announced that their ecoFLEX Insignia will soon be available as a Sports Tourer.
The green five door is powered by a 2.0 Liter CDTI engine with the Clean Tech System producing 160 HP and an impressive 280 lb-ft of torque. The fuel efficient diesel burning drive train is complimented by a six speed manual transmission, complete with a higher final drive to allow highway cruising at lower engine speeds. The result is a Sports Tourer that can go from 0 to 60 MPH in 9.9 seconds and hit a top speed of 133.5 MPH, if those numbers don’t seem too impressive, than consider the vehicle’s fuel mileage of 44 MPG.
If only drivers here in the U.S. could learn to appreciate different things like sports wagons and diesel burning power plants. If we hadn’t attached such a lasting stigma to either of those two items then maybe we could enjoy a spirited ride in an ecoFLEX Insignia Sports Tourer, try getting that kind of performance and economy from a gasoline powered vehicle.
Press release after the jump.
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Volkswagen UK added to its line-up the most fuel efficient Tuareg in its line-up: a BlueMotion version powered by a 3.0-litre V6 TDI common rail diesel engine which develops 225 PS and 550 Nm of torque.
The Touareg BlueMotion has a fuel economy of 34.0 mpg on the combined cycle (down from 30.4 mpg), and CO2 emissions are cut to just 219 g/km, down from 244 g/km. It sprints from 0 to 60 mph in 8.5 seconds and has a top speed of 126 mph.
Prices start from £34,150 on the road RRP for the entry level model and rise to £37,545 for the SE.
Press release after the jump.
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Volkswagen is proving that you don’t have to purchase a hybrid in order to drive a green car. That is the idea behind the German automotive manufacturer’s alternatively fueled 2009 Jetta TDI. Our car came equipped with a 2.0 Liter turbo diesel power plant making 140 HP and 236 lb-ft of torque and still gets and EPA estimated 40 MPG on the highway when connected to our car’s DSG gearbox. Starting out at a little over $22,000 the VW Jetta TDI is an affordable alternative to other environmentally friendly vehicles. Our Reflex Silver Metallic four door medium sized sedan rode on a set of stylish 16 inch alloy wheels and aside from the TDI badge on the trunk, this Jetta looked just like any other Jetta in the VW family.
The interior was filled with goodies like CLIMATIC air conditioning, V-Tex leatherette comfort seats and a 6 disc CD changer with auxiliary input jack for all your MP3 needs. One of the nicer features that comes with our TDI, or any new Jetta for that matter, is 24 hour road side assistance for the first 3 years or 36,000 miles of ownership. Not to mention that thanks to the new common rail fuel delivery system, the Jetta TDI is the only diesel in the U.S. that meets the strict European Tier II Bin 5 emissions requirements without the aid of any additional additive, that is the equivalent of being an LEV II rating from the California Air Resources Board. Coming in at $25,070 the Volkswagen Jetta TDI is a pretty good price to pay for such a well finished, economical and fun to drive package.
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ABT Sportsline is used to building entrants for Gemany’s DTM racing series, but are never too busy to tune any product out of the Audi catalog. When the tuners found out that the luxury carmaker was putting a turbocharged diesel V12 in the Q7, they couldn’t wait to turn up the boost. Output is up to 560 HP, from the factory 500 HP; and torque has been increased to 885 lb-ft from the standard 737.5 lb-ft of twist. The full size Audi SUV can now go from 0 to 60 MPH in just 5.3 seconds. Not bad for an alternatively fueled tuner truck.
Volkswagen revealed today at the Auto Mobil International in Leipzig the diesel brother of the Golf GTI: the GTD Golf, a car that is all about efficiency.
The GTD is powered by a 2,0 liter TDI engine that delivers 170 hp at 4,200 rpm and a peak torque of 350 NM between 1,750 and 2,500 rpm. It makes the 0 to 62 mph sprint in 8.1 seconds and can hit a top speed of 137 mph. It has a fuel consumption of only 5.3 liters per 100 km and a CO2 emission of only 139 g/km. The engine comes standard with a 6-speed manual transmission, while the optional 6-speed DSG comes as an option.
On the exterior the GTD comes with bumper, radiator grille and headlights exactly like in the GTI, while the red horizontal stripes in the radiator grille are styled in chrome on the GTD. At the rear, the turbo-diesel sports a modified diffuser. You can recognize the GTD by the dual chrome tailpipes on the left side of the diffuser.
Press release after the jump.
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